Air pollution has no borders. Wherever it comes from, it can affect the U.S. Smoke from wildfires, for example, crosses borders and pollutes our air. Mercury pollution gets into our water, even if it is coming from half a world away.

Air pollution is a leading cause of death worldwide, killing over 8 million people each year, including tens of thousands in the U.S. It costs the global economy billions of dollars in medical bills, lost work, and missed school days.

The U.S. has long been a global leader on air quality, including through the U.S. Department of State’s Global Air Monitoring Program at U.S. Embassies around the world. We helped initiate and implement this program in our former roles with the State Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. Unfortunately, the State Department shut this program down in March 2025, weakening air quality monitoring in 44 countries and leaving six with no air monitoring at all.

We are making a plea that the State Department to restore this important program and resume sharing this essential air monitoring data. Doing so will save countless lives and help ensure that EPA retains its longstanding leadership role in keeping Americans healthy at home and abroad.

Our experience with this program tells a powerful story of U.S. soft power success in the war on air pollution. It all began in Beijing just before that city hosted the 2008 Olympics.........

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