You may have been following the news from COP28 this week (the shorthand for the 28th Conference of the Parties under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - a longhand for the process that might save us from environmental destruction). Unless your newsfeeds are like ours, you may not have spotted the news about air quality from that event. So we thought we’d give a round up!
This COP was the first to include a Health Day - a recognition of the interaction between environmental issues and health outcomes. Air pollution is at the heart of this intersection, with widespread and significant health impacts. This has been brought to life by Michael Plinsky’s pods, an installation that allows visitors to experience the mix of air pollution in London, New Delhi, São Paolo and Beijing. The Independent has a short video about it here.
The link between climate change and air pollution is more subtle. The crucial overlap is the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels if we are going to tackle either challenge. However the pollutants themselves are quite different, with Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulate Matter being primary concerns for air pollution, while Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide are significant for climate change. There is some overlap under the heading of ‘short-lived climate pollutants’ which includes Black Carbon (also known as soot). This pollutant is getting more attention, including a report launched at COP, which highlights both the health impacts and its effect on warming snow, ice and glaciers (aka the cryosphere). Meanwhile the Climate and Clean Air Coalition has been focusing on methane, which is both a greenhouse gas and a precursor to ozone pollution. The links between climate change and air pollution are neatly set out by the World Health Organisation here. There is also a political dynamic with governments addressing climate change and air pollution: as air pollution can feel more immediate to citizens, it is often a way into addressing use of fossil fuels, bringing longer term benefits in the shift to net zero carbon.
Cities and sisters
Cities are still doing it for themselves. One major announcement at COP was the expansion of the Breathe Cities initiative. This programme brings together data and research, stakeholder and community engagement, technical policy assistance and lesson sharing to advance air quality in 11 global cities. We’re excited to see what they will achieve, building on our Breathe London initiative.
And sisters are taking the lead too. A new commission Our Common Air has been established, co-chaired by Rt Hon Helen Clark (too many accolades to mention, but notably ex-Prime Minister of New Zealand) and Dr Soumya Swaminathan (ex-World Health Organisation). This commission will look at pathways to improve the quality and quantity of finance, how to strengthen the economic case for clean air, the creation of a network or centre and new mechanisms to report on national progress.
But where is the private sector? The Alliance for Clean Air was launched at COP26 in Glasgow two years ago and has made progress in expanding to new companies and making use of a new reporting guide by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the aforementioned Coalition. Apart from one event, we haven’t seen big announcements from the Alliance during COP28. Time to step up?
Great summary! Thanks! 👍