Australia Leads UN in First Pledge for Indoor Air Quality

The Australian Academy of Science and Burnet Institute are leading global efforts at the United Nations (U.N.) to declare healthy indoor air a human right.

On Sept. 24, more than 300 leaders came together at the 80th U.N. General Assembly. The event is being co-sponsored by France and Montenegro, while Brown University’s School of Public Health and the OSLUV Project are joint co-convenors alongside the Academy and Burnet Institute.

The global pledge, already signed by over 150 organizations, is the first international effort to recognize clean indoor air as essential to health and well-being. This effort builds on the Academy’s sustained advocacy to reduce the negative impacts of airborne transmission of viruses and pollutants in indoor spaces.

Most recently, the Academy’s submission to the Productivity Commission’s review recommends establishing indoor air quality standards, underpinned by guidelines aligned with World Health Organization recommendations.

These measures can improve overall health, reduce absenteeism, and improve performance in childcare settings, schools, hospitals, aged care settings, and all workplaces.

Relatedly, join the experts at the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo 2025 in Sydney from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 for an in-depth workshop on navigating new standards for safer buildings. Click here to learn more and register.