The most polluted places in the world are still missing out on vital funding to tackle air pollution, according to a new analysis.

The annual State of Global Air Quality Funding report by the Clean Air Fund reveals five of the world’s most polluted countries received less than $2 per person annually to tackle air pollution in 2024.

The report argues air pollution remains one of the world’s largest environmental health threats, causing 7.9 million premature deaths every year.

It adds 9 in10 of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, but despite the challenge, international development funding for clean air remains “chronically low”.

The report does note there are promising signals that some development funders are raising air quality up their list of priorities, but funding remains too low, highly concentrated, and often fails to reach the countries facing the greatest need.

It found outdoor air quality funding increased by $1.7 billion between 2023 and 2024, almost returning to its 2022 peak.

Yet despite this rebound, the study found it still represents less than 1% of international development funding.

It also found total air quality funding increased by 9%, from $113.8 billion in 2019-2023 to $124.6 billion in 2020-2024.

However, the report states this medium-term growth masks a recent reversal, as total air quality funding fell by 6% in 2024, its first annual decline in five years.

The report also states funding is still concentrated among a small number of funders and projects, with just 10 projects accounting for 53% of all outdoor air quality funding between 2020 and 2024.

“Air quality funding remains poorly aligned with need,” the report adds. “In 2024, half of the world’s 10 most-polluted countries received less than $2 per person in total air quality funding.”

It adds this mismatch may reflect differences in countries’ ability to access development finance, as well as a lower priority given to air quality in funding decisions.

“Countries with weaker financial systems or limited capacity to prepare investable projects may face greater barriers to accessing finance, even when pollution exposure is high,” it states.

The report calls for funders to make clean air an explicit objective in country strategies, policies and investments and increase dedicated support for countries with high air pollution but limited borrowing capacity.

Sean Maguire, executive director of strategic partnerships at Clean Air Fund said air quality funding is not going where pollution exposure and health risks are greatest, in a statement.

Maguire added funding remains worryingly low, concentrated on a limited number of places, and misaligned with countries facing the greatest burden.

“With development budgets under growing pressure, clean air objectives must be built into wider development investment, so every dollar works harder and delivers benefits for health, climate and economies at the same time.”

Barbara Buchner, the chief executive of Climate Policy Initiative, which provided data and analysis for the report, said tracking where air quality finance actually flows is an essential first step to addressing the gaps, in a statement.

Buchner added the analysis shows that money is not yet consistently following need, and that countries facing some of the highest pollution levels often have the least access to finance.

“As aid budgets tighten, funders need clear evidence to better target resources where they are needed most,” she said.