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The combination of air pollution and climate change is creating a huge risk for Africa’s development. Air pollution alone is associated with over a million premature deaths annually in Africa, which occur due to people being exposed to harmful pollutants both indoors and outdoors.
Nairobi traffic. Photo: Michael Njoroge / Unsplash.
Africa has a huge opportunity to continue developing sustainably, improve human well-being, and protect nature by investing in solutions to fight climate change and air pollution together. A new report – Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa – by the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Africa, and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), and developed through a process led by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), shows how African leaders can act quickly across five key sectors — transport, residential, energy, agriculture, and waste — to fight climate change, prevent air pollution, and protect human health.
The report presents 37 clean air measures, which can achieve cost-effective results, and whose implementation can enable individual countries to pursue their development goals while improving air quality, as well as meeting their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets under the Paris Agreement. The measures also contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa and set the continent on a cleaner development pathway towards meeting the goals of the African Union Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want – as well as the objectives of the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032).
The key recommendations and plans for implementation of the Assessment findings were presented and adopted at the 18th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) which noted in its AMCEN decisions 18/1 (c) and 18/4, the completion of the integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa and its report, in response to AMCEN decision 17/2, and urged African countries to support further development and implementation of the 37 recommended measures as a continent-wide Africa Clean Air Program, coordinated by strong country-led initiatives, cascaded to the Regional Economic Communities and higher levels of policy.
This side event will present to stakeholders the key messages and recommendations from the Assessment and mark the launch of the Summary for Decision Makers (SDM) of the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa. It will also enable discussions across the key areas of actions – agriculture, energy, residential, transport, and waste – on how to fast track implementation of the recommended measures. Key interventions on finances, technology and legal frameworks that are required to facilitate the development of the Africa Clean air Program will be discussed.
Video: LEAP Platform / YouTube.
| Moderator:
Dr. Harsen NYAMBE, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, African Union Commission (AUC) |
|
| Time | Activity |
| 1430-1440 |
Opening and welcoming remarks (10min) • Martina OTTO, Head of Secretariat, Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) • Prof. Youba SOKONA, Coordinating Co-Chair, the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa |
| 1440-1445 |
Special Message (5min) • H. E. Rachel Chebet RUTO, First Lady of Kenya |
| 1445-1455 |
Presentation: Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa (10min) • Andriannah MBANDI, Air Quality Expert, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) |
| 1455-1505 |
Country level perspectives • Dr. Thuli N. KHUMALO, Chief Operations Officer, Presidential Climate Commission, South Africa • Dr. Pacifica Ogolla, Director, Climate Change Directorate, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Kenya |
| 1505-1510 |
Statement of the African Development Bank (AfDB) • Dr. Al Hamndou DORSOUMA, OIC, Director, Climate Change and Green Growth Department, Africa Development Bank (AfDB) |
| 1510-1515 |
Statement of the African Union Commission (AUC) • H.E. Amb. Josefa Leonel Correia SACKO, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union |
| 1515-1525 |
Ministerial Statements and Official Launch of the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa – Summary for Decision Makers (SDM) • Hon. Alioune NDOYE, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, Senegal |
|
1525-1530 |
Closing Statement • Dr. Philip OSANO, Center Director Africa, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) • Kevin HICKS, Coordinator, the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) |
Project / A scientifically robust and policy-relevant framework to identify and assess priority measures that maximize the multiple-benefits for air quality and climate.
Past event / The workshop will outline how to build on and coordinate the community of practice of science and policy makers assembled from energy, waste and agriculture.
Media coverage / SEI Africa contributes technical expertise to the deployment of air quality sensors around Nairobi, to monitor air pollution and green house gas emissions.
Media coverage / SEI Africa collaborates with UNEP and KMD to install air quality sensors in Kenya's capital, Nairobi and begin analysis of air pollution levels in the city
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