Air pollution, health, and human rights.

Worldwide, the problem of air pollution is heterogeneous in its sources and in the populations affected, but consistent in that there is an urgent need for action. In this Comment, we address whether framing air pollution as a human rights issue would more quickly and efficiently motivate and direct actions than what is done at present. We conclude that rights-based approaches merit deeper consideration to advance control for air pollution worldwide at a time when air quality is notably deteriorating in many parts of the world.