Organized every three years, the 18th edition of World Clean Air Congress will take place between Sept. 23 and 27 in Istanbul. The congress will be observed by participants from more than 40 countries around the world. The congress will be held by the joint efforts of the International Union of Air Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection Associations-(IUAPPA) and the Turkish National Committee of Air Pollution Research and Supervision.

The congress intends to provide a worldwide platform for scientists, policy makers and industrialists to discuss state-of-the-art scientific knowledge and the latest progress and technical solutions in improving air quality. It will focus on energy scenarios, latest scientific developments in climate and clean air to improve the air quality of the world. The event will also feature keynote sessions on air quality and climate, air pollution, health and biodiversity, air quality management, technology, transport and sustainable cities and much more.

In spite of the efforts to improve air quality, 92% of the world's population still live in places where air pollution exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. According to WHO, an estimated 6.5 million deaths were associated with air pollution in 2012. This cause of mortality accounts for 11.6% of all global deaths. More urgent efforts are therefore needed now to develop and implement the policies, investment programs and technologies needed to reduce the sources of air pollution.