Kingston, Jamaica, 18 February 2025 (PAHO) – As global concerns about air quality and the impact of air pollution continue to grow, the PAHO Jamaica Country Office hosted a workshop under the theme "Integrated Air Quality, Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, and Health Roadmap in Jamaica" to address air quality and its impact on health and well-being.
Held from February 12–14, 2025, the workshop aimed to advance the EU-CARIFORUM collaboration by mobilizing stakeholder support and enhancing national capacity in using a WHO tool (AirQ+) for estimating the health effects of air pollution. In total, approximately 40 participants represented various departments of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, the Regional Health Authorities, the University of the West Indies, and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute.
The EU-CARIFORUM collaboration mobilizes stakeholder support for implementation, strengthens national capacity to estimate the disease burden of air pollution, monitors and reports on the corresponding Sustainable Development Goal indicators, and prepares an integrated roadmap to address health, air pollution, and related climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.
With 99% of the global population living in areas where air quality exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) limits, the workshop provided a critical opportunity to review actions addressing health, air pollution, and climate change; identify synergies between short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) mitigation and air quality management; sensitize decision-makers on air pollution’s health impacts; and provide training in environmental epidemiology and the use of AirQ+.
Speaking at the workshop, PAHO/WHO Representative to Jamaica Ian Stein emphasized the need to recognize the strong links between air quality, public health, and climate change in developing Jamaica’s integrated roadmap.
"Tackling the health risks posed by air pollution demands strong policies that incorporate environmental factors into our health frameworks. Strengthening these policies is a crucial step forward. However, this can only be achieved by enhancing our capacity to assess the health burden of air pollution, monitor key indicators, and adopt a comprehensive approach to air quality management and climate change mitigation that is grounded in accurate data."
The workshop covered Jamaica’s air quality, corresponding health baselines, and the necessary monitoring network, along with communication strategies and health impact assessment tools like AirQ+. Participants visited NEPA’s office and one of its monitoring stations to understand the agency’s role in environmental management and data collection. Participants used this data with AirQ+ to estimate mortality burden and economic costs that could be linked to air pollution. The final day focused on climate, air quality, and health challenges, emphasizing best practices and collaboration.
PAHO remains committed to supporting Jamaica in air quality management, SLCP mitigation, and public health protection, with insights from the workshop informing a technical document for implementation.
