Nairobi: Air quality experts from across Africa and globally will convene in Nairobi this July for the third edition of the Championing Livable Urban Environments through African Networks for Air (CLEAN-Air) Forum to discuss the pressing issue of air pollution on the continent.
According to Kenya News Agency, the CLEAN Air Forum, held under the theme ‘Partnerships for Clean Air Solutions’, will run from July 15th to 17th, bringing together air quality communities of practice, including government leaders, researchers, civil society representatives, city planners, development partners, youth, and private sector actors.
The forum is organised by AirQo, a pan-African air quality research initiative at Makerere University, the Health Effects Institute, and World Resources Institute Africa, in collaboration with the Nairobi City County Government. The Forum hopes to build on the success of previous editions held in Kampala in 2023 and Lagos in 2024.
Managing Director for Africa and Global Partnerships at World Resources Institute Africa, Wanjira Mathai, said that after three years of advancing partner-led collaborations since the launch at the inaugural forum in Kampala in 2023, the network has grown into a powerful force of bridging science and policy, expanding Africa’s air quality data, raising awareness, and shaping bold new policies.
‘The CLEAN-Air Forum has become Africa’s leading platform for driving evidence, innovation, and equity in air quality,’ said Mathai adding ‘the theme, Partnerships for Clean Air Solutions is a timely reminder that no one city, country, or community can solve this crisis alone. We have to work together.’
According to a recent Health Effects Institute Scoping Review titled, ‘Health Effects of Air Pollution in East Africa’, air pollution led to approximately 294,000 deaths in 2021 across the region, making it the second-largest contributor to mortality, surpassed only by malnutrition. The review also shows that biomass fuel use and vehicle emissions are among the dominant sources of pollution, with limited air quality monitoring coverage across the region.
Despite Nairobi’s status as a continental environmental hub, the city still has fewer than 100 publicly accessible air quality monitors. These monitors are largely deployed through collaborative efforts involving AirQo, Breathe Cities, UNEP, and the GEOHealth Hub, among others, in partnership with the city government to help fill critical data gaps.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja notes that the city has made great progress through expanding air quality monitoring, adding that the forum will unite leaders, experts, civil society, and citizens to share policies that protect our health and our city’s future. ‘Air pollution remains a major public health and environmental threat, both locally and globally,’ he notes. ‘The data we have must drive inclusive and informed action.’
General Manager, Lagos State, Environmental Protection Agency, Babatunde Ajayi, will be one of the keynote speakers. ‘When we collaborate, we share expertise, benchmark standards, and speak with one voice,’ said Ajayi. ‘The CLEAN-Air Forum is helping African cities build that shared language and vision.’
Kisumu County Deputy Governor Mathew Ochieng Owili notes that through shared data, harmonised policies, and joint strategies, cities could access more funding and implement innovation faster. Kisumu is one of Kenya’s fastest-growing cities. ‘I hope this Forum catalyses a united front, bigger investments, stronger commitments, and new partnerships for clean air,’ he said.
This year’s forum will also launch a renewed vision for partnerships for the Africa Clean Air Network, with a shared commitment to connecting people, data, and practical solutions that support clean air efforts across the continent. Over 300 participants are expected to attend, representing national and local governments, academic institutions, startups, funding organisations, development partners, and grassroots groups.