Sustainable policy—key considerations for air quality and climate change

Air quality and climate change are inexorably linked from theiremission sources to their impacts on climate, human health, andecosystems, including agriculture. However, in globalenvironmental change and sustainability policies the linkbetween air quality and climate change is often ignored. Tofacilitate including the link between air pollution and climatechange in the policy process, three key considerations (1) mix ofemissions, (2) lifetime, and (3) benefits and trade-offs should betaken into account. These three key considerations will helpdecision makers understand how proposed policies may impactthe emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases and theirresulting impacts on climate, human health, and ecosystems,thus reducing unintended consequences and likely resulting inadditional economic and environmental benefits