Parents across the world call for urgent action on air pollution to protect children’s health

Parents and families are mobilizing from March 14-22 to demand clean air for all children in a series of heartfelt #OurKidsAir street actions happening in global cities including London, Mexico City, Milan, and Warsaw. 

Over 93% of children around the world breathe air so polluted that it puts their health and development at risk. Nearly 2,000 children under five die every day from air pollution-related health issues. That’s equivalent to almost 7 children every 5 minutes.

Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution because they are still growing and developing. They breathe twice as quickly as adults, taking in more air relative to their body weight. They are active, often outside, and younger children are closer to the ground, where pollutants peak.  Air pollution harms children’s growing lungs, brains, and hearts, and causes chronic diseases from asthma to cancer. 

Maya Mailer, Co-director of Our Kids’ Climate said: 

“Children are being harmed by dirty air, principally caused by the burning of fossil fuels, with every breath they take. That burning is also the key driver of the climate crisis, which is already impacting millions of children and putting a livable planet further out of reach. Breathing clean air is not a luxury – it is the foundation of good health for all our children, and for all of us. As parents, we are uniting across the world to demand that leaders rapidly shift to clean, safe renewable energy for the sake of our children’s health.” 

The actions have been confirmed in 20 towns and cities on 6 continents. The events in Mexico City, Milan and Warsaw will begin with the parents and children coming together in a dramatic coughing action to draw attention to the dangers of polluted air. The participants will simulate coughing fits to symbolize the daily struggle of children exposed to dirty air. In Mexico City, this will happen outside the government health department. 

The actions also center on “Parents’ Prescriptions” for clean air. In London, parents will gather around a giant inhaler and giant prescription against the backdrop of the Houses of Parliament. In Poland, the parent prescriptions will focus on the need for air quality monitoring and low-emission zones around schools.  

The burning of fossil fuels is one of the main drivers of toxic air pollution and climate breakdown. Fossil fuel combustion is poisoning the air children breathe and endangering their future. The parents are calling for a rapid shift from our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels to clean energy, to protect what we all love: our children, our neighbourhoods, and our planet.

The actions come ahead of the World Health Organization’s global conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, Colombia from 25-27 March. A delegation of mothers from Ecuador, India, South Africa, USA/Puerto Rico, and the UK will be attending this conference to speak on behalf of affected children.  

Bhavreen Kandhari, the founder of Warrior Moms, who is coordinating the street actions in India, and attending the WHO conference as a mother delegate said:

“More than a million children live in Delhi, and they are being poisoned by toxic air pollution with each breath. It’s shameful! The solutions are known and available, yet political and business leaders continue to cling to dangerous fossil fuels. We, united as concerned parents around the world, must stand up and pressure them to put the health and wellbeing of our children at the core of their decisions. Children can’t choose the air they breathe. So it’s on us, as parents, to fight for clean air!” 

The #OurKidsAir street actions and parent delegation are being coordinated by Our Kids’ Climate, an anchor organization for the global movement of parents, grandparents, and carers taking action on climate change to protect the children they love.