The Africa Climate Week Track 4 Side Event titled, ‘Health and Climate Change Nexus: Accelerating Progress through Integrated Climate and Clean Air Action in Africa’ was held on 8^th September 2023 at the KICC, Nairobi.  KEPSA was a key contributor in curating the session in collaboration with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), African Union Commission (AUC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Stockholm Environment Institute and KCIC Consulting Limited. 

Assessing the vulnerability of healthcare systems to climate change impacts is crucial to improving resilience and protecting the well-being and survival of Africa's population. An integrated approach to climate and clean air through the reduction of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) has proven to be an effective solution to contribute to climate change mitigation while achieving co-benefits to health, food security, and economic development. Reducing SLCPs addresses air pollution as a public health emergency that results in more than 1 million premature deaths a year in Africa.

In her opening remarks, Dr Adelheid Onyango - WHO Director of Universal Health, remarked that more than one million people in Africa are exposed to indoor and outdoor pollution. She stated that the creation of green spaces in the cities can significantly improve air quality. “It’s the collective acts of such initiatives that can build great things,” She said.

Dr Youba Sakoma – Chair of Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) shared findings of the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa: A summary of Decision makers undertaken by UNEP, Climate and Clean Air Pollution and the Africa Union. The assignment involved modelling measures in key sectors including the energy sector, agriculture, transport and waste management.

A first integrated assessment of air pollution and climate change for sustainable development in Africa has been conducted and shows the potential benefits of implementing a set of 37 measures across 5 key sectors.  From this report, pollution and climate change are inextricably linked – the integrated package of long-lived greenhouse emissions and short-lived pollutants measures can achieve multiple benefits for health, environment and climate.

Dr Sakoma observed that waste management is a nightmare in all African countries that affects air quality and health and climate change. There is a need to put in place measures to remove short-term climate pollutants and long-term greenhouse emissions by 2030 and 2063 respectively. Data is available for such studies but more data and research are needed to support implementation of the measures.

KEPSA was represented by Ms Ayan Adan - the Enterprise IoT Specialist from Safaricom who shared the clean air quality innovation that provides real-time data on the health, climate and air pollution nexus.   The project involves the use of sensors, devices, and software to collect, analyze and interpret environmental data. The goal is to monitor and manage environmental factors such as air quality, temperature, humidity and noise levels.

Mr Vanam Prabhakar - KCL Consulting CEO, under the Climate Business Information Network Kenya, shared some of the emerging issues on air quality and climate change nexus. This included the need for increased private sector investments in air pollution measures; enhanced approaches to harness the air quality data and sharing models within sectors, between countries and in the region; monitoring of air quality and health data trends for policy and decision making; greening of the health sector; education and empowerment of communities on health air-pollution and climate change related issues.

The benefits of reducing climate change and pollution in Africa include lessening further land degradation and desertification for improving food production and quality; and reducing the burden of several climate-sensitive food, water and vector-borne diseases that are projected to increase with higher temperatures assuming no additional adaptation. 

Others who spoke at the panel included Mr Gareth Philips - Director at Africa Development Bank and Dr Bala Bappa – National SLCP Expert Nigeria, in a session that was moderated by Dr. Alice Kaudia - Senior Africa Advisor – CCAC.