World weather agency warns of vicious cycle in air and climate

Fossil fuel burning and other human activities that contribute to climate change are sources of pollution, which in turn aggravate climate change, forming a vicious cycle, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in an annual report released on Friday, calling for coordinated countermeasures.

In the Air Quality and Climate Bulletin released for the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies to be marked on September 7, the UN specialized agency details the dangerous feedback loop between climate change and air pollution, driven significantly by tiny airborne particles known as aerosols.

The report highlights the role of aerosols in wildfires, winter fog, shipping emissions and urban pollution, while stressing the need for improved atmospheric monitoring and more integrated policies to safeguard human and environmental health and reduce agricultural and economic losses.

Particulate matter from activities such as transport, industry and agriculture, as well as from wildfires and wind-blown desert dust, remains a major health hazard, says the report.

Ambient air pollution causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths each year worldwide with huge environmental and economic costs, according to World Health Organization estimates.

The WMO report notes that wildfires are a major contributor to particle pollution, and the problem is expected to increase as the climate warms, posing growing risks to infrastructure, ecosystems and human health.

Meanwhile, it highlights that although fog is a seasonal occurrence, its growing frequency and duration are increasingly linked to pollution from vehicles, construction, heating, cattle and the burning of vegetation.

"Climate impacts and air pollution respect no national borders – as exemplified by intense heat and drought which fuel wildfires, worsening air quality for millions of people. We need improved international monitoring and collaboration to meet this global challenge," said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

(Cover: Flares burn off excess natural gas at the Endeavor Energy Resources LP oil and gas wells near Tarzan, Texas, the U.S., March 15, 2025. /VCG)