Public Engagement and Communication - Stage 3

Stage 3: Turn awareness into agreement on causes, methods and solutions
01 Staff up for communications
02 Reach out to the general public and key stakeholders
03 Map stakeholders
04 Conduct stakeholder consultations
05 Update your larger communications and outreach plan
06 Develop a public dashboard to share air quality data
07 Establish data sharing arrangements
08 Provide training and capacity-building to key stakeholders
09 Organise consultations on your air quality management framework
10 Adopt an Air Quality Index

Stage 3: Turn awareness into agreement on causes, methods and solutions 

Stage 3 is where awareness turns into agreement. You have more people, a growing monitoring network and, increasingly, real-time data — but data alone doesn’t build consensus. The shift here is from listening to co-producing: finding shared ground with stakeholders on the facts (what does the data show?), the causes (where does the pollution come from?) and the methods (how are we measuring and modelling it?). When people help shape how air quality is assessed, they are far likelier to accept what the assessment concludes — and the interventions that follow. Making real-time data genuinely public, and adopting an air quality index that tells people at a glance whether their air is safe, are the central features of this stage.

Key objectives:

  • Build consensus on the facts and the methods: bring stakeholders into decisions on assessment methods and data, so conclusions about sources and impacts hold up across sides.
  • Make real-time data public and legible: stand up a public dashboard and an air quality index the public can read at a glance.
  • Involve stakeholders as co-producers: through data-sharing, training and capacity-building, give communities a genuine hand in the evidence base, not just a seat at the table. 

You will find below the Public Engagement and Communication Guidance for Stage 3. Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 4 and Stage 5 are also available. If you are unsure which Stage best applies to your current circumstances, take the Interactive Questionnaire to find out.

01 Staff up for communications

Engage additional human resources to support the implementation of outreach activities, including enlisting other AQ officials in your jurisdiction to assist with communication activities.  For example, ensure that monitoring staff responsible for air quality data management systems are available to ensure QA/QC protocols are in place to improve accessibility and availability of robust data for public access.  Resources should be allocated for strengthening air quality data management infrastructure and technical (personnel) capacity for air quality data analysis and also (science) communication specialists 

02 Reach out to the general public and key stakeholders

To deepen public outreach on air quality management, align your activities with the identified communication needs of the community and the available resources. Develop targeted campaigns using relatable messaging that resonates with different audience segments. Proactively share relevant data and insights with key stakeholders, including scientists, health professionals, and media representatives, to build credibility and support. Organize public forums or workshops to encourage dialogue, ensuring that community members feel informed and engaged in air quality issues and solutions. 

03 Map stakeholders

Based on your initial outreach, identify target group for capacity building and outreach activities. Assess training needs. Target groups can be vulnerable groups exposed to key emission sources identified through EI development/stakeholder inputs.

04 Conduct stakeholder consultations

Seek stakeholder input through dedicated consultations early and often during the planning and decision-making processes. Organize community workshops and surveys to encourage participation and gather diverse perspectives. Clearly communicate the purpose and techniques of your assessments, fostering transparency to gain buy-in from the public, civil society organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders. Emphasize how their buy-in on assessment methods, input data and models to be used will lead to outcomes that are more easily accepted by all sides. Explore opportunities for stakeholders to contribute to environmental indicators, emissions inventory or monitoring data, strengthening their investment in the process and outcomes, ultimately leading to more effective air quality management policies. 

05 Update your larger communications and outreach plan

Regularly revise your air quality management (AQM) outreach plan based on stakeholder feedback from consultations. Incorporate insights and suggestions to ensure your communications remain relevant and effective. Continuously assess the plan’s impact and adapt strategies as needed, fostering trust and engagement while addressing evolving community concerns about air quality.

06 Develop a public dashboard to share air quality data

When developing a website and public communication tools to share real-time monitoring data prioritize user-friendly design and accessibility. Include integrated data from both low-cost sensors and reference instruments to provide a comprehensive view of air quality levels; however, ensure that the different data sources are clearly demarcated with appropriate caveats on the use of LCS data. Display data visually, using maps and graphs that are easily interpretable by the public. Incorporate educational resources explaining the significance of air quality data, methods, and health impacts. Enhance engagement through interactive features, such as community forums or feedback options. Ensure regular updates to keep the information current, fostering trust and encouraging ongoing public participation in air quality monitoring and management initiatives.

07 Establish data sharing arrangements

Establish data-sharing arrangements by proactively engaging key stakeholders—such as scientists, health workers, and the media—through accessible and relevant channels. Highlight the benefits of sharing data, emphasizing transparency, informed decision-making, and community trust. Consider including health messaging and self-protective measures in your communications as part of an emergency action plan. Note that the implementation of a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will require adherence to separate Legislative, Regulatory and Implementation guidance (See Stage 3, Step 5) to ensure compliance and effectiveness in addressing air quality emergencies.

08 Provide training and capacity-building to key stakeholders

Provide targeted training and capacity-building sessions for key stakeholders on air pollution topics, including data monitoring, assessment methods, and health impacts. Tailor training to meet the specific needs of different groups, ensuring accessibility and clarity. Empower stakeholders with knowledge and tools to effectively address air quality challenges in their communities.

09 Organise consultations on your air quality management framework

Organise consultation workshops with key stakeholders to engage them in the design of AQM plans and policies. Unlike Step 3 above, here the consultations would focus on analyzing results of the assessments and identifying policies and process for clean air action planning. Communications staff should already be engaging with regulatory staff (See Legal Framework and Policy Design Guidance Stage 2, Step 9).

10 Adopt an Air Quality Index

An Air Quality Index (AQI) converts ambient air pollutant concentrations from fixed regulatory monitoring stations and modelling forecasts into a single, intuitive scale that tells people at a glance if their air is safe to breathe. It is typically based on the Ambient Air Quality Standards (AAQS) set for your jurisdiction (see Legal Framework and Policy Design Guidance, Stage 2, Step 8). These standards vary considerably around the world and are influenced by local economic, technical and political conditions weighed against health science. WHO’s  global air quality guidelines recommend a maximum long-term exposure of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for PM2.5 to minimize premature mortality and chronic diseases associated with fine particulate matter. They serve as a global target for national, regional and city governments to work towards improving their citizen’s health by reducing air pollution.

Design choices are an important consideration when developing an AQI. Comparative research on air quality communication tools from around the world (Guillemin, 2017) shows wide variation in color schemes, category breakpoints, and health messaging. Experimental research (Wu et al., 2021) confirms that these variations shape how the public interprets risk and whether warnings prompt precaution. Indexes that pair each level with plain-language descriptors and specific recommended actions consistently outperform purely numerical scales. The World Health Organization’s report on air quality indexes: key considerations and roadmaps for best practices is a comprehensive reference for this design work, reviewing the strengths and limitations of existing indexes and setting out a roadmap for developing, validating and communicating them.  

Incorporating the AQI into existing or newly developed websites and apps (Stage 3, Step 6) is critical for ensuring public accessibility. The U.S. AirNow is an example of a portal that incorporates real-time data dashboards, maps and explainers with a color-coded AQI. The website has become the public’s focal point for accessing air quality conditions and forecasts as well as to distribute information to media outlets via Internet content providers and commercial weather service providers for television weathercasts and newspapers (Dye, 2004).  

Ensuring the underlying data management — including quality assurance and quality control — is robust enough to sustain public confidence is another important factor for communicators to consider. The risk of underreporting or suppressing bad air quality data is well documented and can be avoided by automating data collection and removing local discretion to root out manipulation, restore data quality, and enable people to protect themselves more effectively. (Greenstone et al., 2019) The stakes extend beyond institutional credibility.  Experimental research shows that inaccurately positive air quality reports measurably reduce risk perception and protective behavior (Zhang, 2025)  and can inadvertently exacerbate air pollution by intensifying polluting behaviors, such as persistent reliance on private vehicles.

Finally, treat the index as a living tool: review it regularly against evolving health evidence, updated standards, and what audience research reveals about how people use it. The lessons learned in communicating the index at this stage become the foundation for the health-based risk communication work of Stage 4.