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The University of Lomé and the Stockholm Environment Institute have supported Togo’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to adopt a more ambitious climate change target. In The Conversation, Chris Malley explains that the key was identifying the additional benefits that climate actions would achieve.
Like many African cities, Lomé, the capital of Togo, has a pollution problem.
Its ambient (outdoor) air pollution levels exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for human health protection. Air pollution is the world’s largest environmental health risk. In Togo, a country of 8 million people, it contributes to 6,700 premature deaths per year.
Air pollutant emissions and emissions that contribute to climate change come largely from the same sources. So it makes sense to tackle the two issues together. The question is, how?
We evaluated the impact that implementing ten mitigation measures in Togo would have on reducing air pollutants and climate pollutants simultaneously.
Chris Malley, SEI Senior Research Fellow
The integrated assessment identified measures which could significantly reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. This work shows us that it is possible to increase motivation for more ambitious climate action by identifying and quantifying the additional benefits, such as improving citizen’s health, that action will achieve.
Journal article / Despite contributing little to climate change, Togo has identified measures to simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve local air quality.
Initiative / This initiative enables integrated national planning for Nationally Determined Contributions and Sustainable Development Goals.
Feature / Scientists developed an integrated assessment of air pollution and climate change providing a robust scientific basis for action towards clean air in Africa.
Feature / Find background and contacts for SEI's involvement at the COP27 UN climate change conference taking place from 6-18 November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
Journal article / In this journal article, researchers from SEI York discuss climate change mitigation and sustainable development planning in Nigeria.
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