Air pollution can harm children before birth and throughout early development. Young children breathe faster than adults and are closer to ground-level pollutants. Their lungs and brains are still developing, so the same exposure can create greater risks. UNICEF reported in 2025 that 500 million children across East Asia and the Pacific live in countries with unhealthy air pollution.
Protection requires action from governments, businesses, health services, parents and educators. Governments can enforce air-quality standards and move toward clean energy. Businesses can adopt cleaner technologies and reduce emissions. Affordable sensors can strengthen monitoring and public reporting. Household programmes can reduce exposure through chimney ventilation and cleaner heating systems. Health services should improve detection and treatment of pollution-related illness. Lasting improvement depends on reducing pollution at its source.