Dr María Neira is a physician and global public health specialist in environmental health and climate change. She served for over 20 years as Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organization (WHO), where she provided strategic leadership on the health dimensions of climate change, with a strong focus on air pollution. María serves on several high-level boards and advisory bodies, including as a Board Member of the Lancet Countdown on Climate Change and Health, and a commissioner of Our Common Air. Alongside advising national governments and intergovernmental bodies, she contributes regularly to scientific and policy publications on planetary health and evidence-based public policy.