Prólogo del documento publicado por la Organización Mundial de la Salud:
Clean air is a basic requirement of human health and well-being. Air pollution, however, continues to pose a signifi cant threat to health worldwide. According to a WHO assessment of the burden of disease due to air pollution, more than two million premature deaths each year can be attributed to the effects of urban outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution (from the burning of solid fuels). More than half of this disease burden is borne by the populations of developing countries. This update of the WHO air quality guidelines has been developed in response to this real and global threat to public health. It continues the long WHO tradition of supporting its Member States with the best available evidence on health determinants, and on the risks of air pollution in particular. Previous editions of the guidelines found wide application in environmental and public health decision-making in various parts of the world.
Although these guidelines are neither standards nor legally binding criteria, they are designed to offer guidance in reducing the health impacts of air pollution based on expert evaluation of current scientific evidence. They are intended to be relevant to the diverse conditions of all WHO’s regions, and to support a broad range of policy options for air quality management. Knowledge about the hazardous properties of the pollutants and indication of the risk related to exposure, summarized by the guidelines, provide an essential scientific contribution to the development of strategies for air quality management. Authorities preparing national strategies, especially in those countries that lack the necessary scientific infrastructure and resources to conduct their own assessments in support of public policy, will find the guidelines an essential resource.
The synthesis of the research results that underlie the guidelines has been conducted by outstanding scientists and was subject to scrupulous peer review. We are grateful to these experts for their efforts and believe that this work will contribute to improving the health of people in all regions of the world.
Margaret Chan
WHO Director-General
Marc Danzon
WHO Regional Director for Europe