Fast-expanding cities may unencumber billions of {dollars}, forestall 1,000s of deaths and scale back greenhouse gasoline emissions by up to 20% by 2040 with measures to deal with soiled air.
Study reveals clear case for city planning which prioritises clear air as an engine for quick, truthful and sustainable development as powerhouses like Cairo, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Accra rise in international prominence.
Joined-up action to deal with air pollution alongside local weather change options will ship fast well being and financial advantages and assist deal with wider growth challenges.
True positive factors are probably to be far larger as the broader impression of Africa’s second largest killer turns into higher researched and understood.
Donor governments spent 36 occasions extra assist on prolonging fossil gas use in Africa than tackling air pollution from 2015-21.
Four of Africa’s fastest growing cities may unencumber over $20 billion between them by 2040 with city planning insurance policies that deal with air pollution, new analysis from the Clean Air Fund reveals. The monetary positive factors come on high of a number of different advantages reminiscent of saving lives, decreasing greenhouse gasoline emissions and tackling poverty and inequality.
The world is making ready for the “Africa COP” in Egypt, the place debate will give attention to financing a simply transition away from fossil gas led development. Air pollution is the second largest killer in Africa after HIV/AIDS, however stays massively ignored by coverage makers and funders, receiving lower than 1% of official growth help between 2015 and 2021. Like local weather change, it’s largely prompted by burning fossil fuels, so these issues could be tackled collectively. Yet from 2015-21 donor governments spent 36 occasions extra on prolonging fossil gas use in Africa than tackling air pollution.
The Clean Air Fund’s Country Lead for Ghana, Desmond Appiah mentioned: “Africa’s rise is led by its great cities. The decisions made now will determine how fast and how fair their growth will be, and how long it will last. These findings show that cleaning the air is critical in building strong, healthy, inclusive economies that can power the carbon neutral markets and workforces of the future. Clean growth, supported by the international community, that avoids the devastating health and environmental consequences of fossil-fuel led urbanisation is now the better economic option too.”
“From pollution to solution: The case for tackling air pollution alongside climate change in Africa’s cities” maps the well being, financial and local weather impacts of growing air pollution alongside a “business as usual” development path. It then contrasts this with another situation in which cities implement clear air measures as they develop, reminiscent of upgrading public transport, introducing cleaner cookstoves and industrial expertise and vitality, and making land clearance and waste administration extra environmentally-pleasant.
It estimates that Cairo, Lagos, Johannesburg and Accra may save over 125,000 lives, unlock $20bn for his or her economies, and reduce emissions by round 20% between now and 2040. By extension, it additionally means that comparable positive factors might be achieved in different main cities experiencing exponential development throughout Africa and elsewhere. In actuality, the true positive factors of prioritising air pollution action are probably to be far larger. This is as a result of the analysis solely calculates the financial advantages of improved well being and life expectancy and dealing days misplaced due to the results of air pollution and doesn’t have in mind different prices, reminiscent of medical care..
The report breaks down the potential positive factors cities may see from taking these steps, for instance:
In Lagos implementation of such insurance policies may create efficiencies of up to $12.5billion and save over 64,000 lives between 2023-2040.
Cairo would additionally see main advantages, together with stopping over 52,000 untimely deaths related to the results of air pollution between 2023-2040, and vital GHG reductions (with a discount of 12% in 2040 alone).
In Accra, the cumulative impression of clear air measures on air pollution may elevate $250m and save over 3,000 lives between 2023-2040.
In Johannesburg, the action on air pollution may probably generate town round $1bn over the following twenty years (2023-2040).
Desmond Appiah mentioned: “Action on air pollution does so much more than limit the damage of fossil-fuelled growth. It can underwrite a new model of development that is better for people’s health, for society and for the planet. To build the Africa we want, we need national and city governments to join the dots and use clean air and climate solutions as catalysts.”
The report requires:
Cities to Commit to the C40 Clean Air Cities Declaration and planning framework, and enhance monitoring and reporting techniques to present knowledge and proof which helps an built-in method to emission management actions.
National governments to overview excessive-emitting sectors like vitality, transport, industrial and energy manufacturing to establish methods to scale back air pollution; prioritise well being and local weather positive factors in infrastructure and repair investments; and make action on air pollution an express precedence in local weather action and sustainable growth actions.
Funders to increase Official Development Assistance and different grant-primarily based funding for air high quality programmes, focusing particularly on ignored areas like Africa, and to divert help from fossil-gas investments in direction of renewables.
