BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Air quality must become an integral part of urban planning, housing policy, and public health issues, Executive Director of the Clean Air Fund's Breathe Cities Initiative, Cecilia Vaca Jones, said at an event "Breathing Life into the New Urban Agenda: Integrating Air Quality and Green Infrastructure for Resilient Cities" within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.
She noted that Baku's green belts, pedestrian-friendly urban environment, and seaside areas made a great impression on him.
"I walked from the hotel to the coast. I reached the sea through green corridors and almost didn't have to cross any roads. This is an advantage that not all cities have. For this, I want to congratulate Baku," she pointed out.
Jones emphasized that holding an event dedicated to air quality in Baku, which means "city of winds", has a special symbolic meaning.
"Wind is the most real form of feeling the air. That is why I think that holding such a session in Baku can encourage young people to be more active in this direction," she explained.
She highlighted that the first action in human life is breathing, and this is the most fundamental common feature that unites all people.
"We learn to breathe before we learn to talk, walk, or eat. However, in many cities around the world, babies' first breath is already accompanied by polluted air," the executive director said.
According to her, air quality is often presented only as a technical or environmental issue. However, this topic is directly related to people's daily lives and health.
"Parents worry about whether their children are breathing safe air when they go to school. Elderly people worry about whether they can breathe comfortably outside. Air is present on every street, in every home, in every school, and in every person's body," she underscored.
Jones further noted that air pollution is currently one of the most serious public health problems in the world.
"Millions of people lose their lives every year due to air pollution. Air pollution is directly linked to non-communicable diseases such as heart and lung disease, diabetes, and dementia. It causes more premature deaths than tobacco use and is the second leading cause of death among children under five, after malnutrition," she clarified.
She added that clean air isn't just an environmental benefit, but a public health tool.
"Reducing air pollution helps prevent asthma attacks, strokes, heart disease, hospitalizations, and premature deaths," she said.
The executive director also stressed the importance of increasing the role of green infrastructure in urban planning.
"I saw QR codes placed on trees in Baku. These codes are used to map the trees in the city. This is an indicator of the importance given to preserving green infrastructure in the city," said Jones.
According to her, a healthy city is not just a place where hospitals and services are located, but also an environment that prevents people from getting sick.
"Air quality should be an integral part of discussions on housing policy, urban planning, climate sustainability, and public spaces. Because air pollution does not affect everyone in the same way. Children are especially vulnerable. Air pollution negatively affects not only the lungs, but also children's brain development," she added.
Today marks the fourth day of WUF13 in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit, featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and sustainable transport.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” the forum brings together governments, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.
