Embedding ambient air quality standards (AAQS) in legislation is an important foundation for effective national air quality governance. Legislation can establish institutional responsibility for air quality standards, set mechanisms for accountability, public participation and enforcement, and institutionalize processes for setting and updating robust air quality standards as knowledge and technologies develop.

UNEP’s 2021 Regulating Air Quality: The First Global Assessment of Air Pollution Legislation found that, while most countries in the world do embed AAQS in legislation, there was no common legal framework for AAQS globally. UNEP's 2023 Guide on Ambient Air Quality Legislation sought to promote robust national systems of air quality governance that prioritize public health outcomes and respect that all humans share the same need to breathe air of adequate quality. The Guide emphasized that air pollution is a collective problem arising from decisions and behaviours across a wide range of policy sectors. Thus, regulatory alignment across wide-ranging policy areas is critical to achieving AAQS in practice.

UNEP has now developed this Toolkit as an additional online resource, to assist national lawmakers and policymakers to develop or improve ambient air quality legislation. The Legislation Explorer section presents an updated and expanded compilation of the legislation and policies compiled for the 2021 Assessment from 194 countries and the European Union. Users can search and filter by country, keywords, and by specific features identified by UNEP as necessary for a robust legislative response, including whether it is legally enforceable, includes provisions for monitoring and enforcement, and meets the WHO Air quality guidelines.

Further sections of the Toolkit will be available soon.