The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Resolution to hold an International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on 19 December 2019, during its 74th session, and invited the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to facilitate the observance of the International Day, in collaboration with other relevant organizations.
SEI contributed to the Day in many ways, including through its involvement with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
The Day raises awareness of the importance of clean air for health, productivity, the economy and the environment. It will also draw attention to the close links between air pollution, climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals. By bringing together diverse international actors, the Day promotes effective solutions to air quality management and shares stories of best practice.
Past event / Online webinar exploring holistic ways to tackle air pollution, health, COVID-19 recovery and climate change.
Air pollution and its impact on human health: an important driver for achieving the 1.5°C goal of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
This policy brief describes how SEI’s Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) and Integrated Benefits Calculator can help countries plan coherent emission reduction strategies with health benefits.
Perspective / A focus on local air pollution benefits can help raise ambition for the global climate mitigation agenda in countries of all income and development levels.
By:
Roderick Weller (WEF)
Eleni Michalopoulou (SEI)
Business and industry have a key role to play to reduce air pollution, since many of their activities cause emissions. They are both contributors and solution-providers; making them essential to lowering pollution, building innovation and showing governments that fixing air pollution and economic development are not mutually exclusive. This article presents 5 actions the private sector can take.
SEI has been undertaking research into air pollution issues since it was established in 1989. In conjunction with an informal science group, co-chaired by Johan C.I. Kuylenstierna, SEI researchers have contributed to a comprehensive, but non-technical, online resource covering 20 of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about global air pollution issues. This has been specially produced for the UN International Day of Clean Air for blue skies.
You can also explore this interactive guide to air pollution which SEI contributed to with UNEP and CCAC.
Below is just a small selection of features, perspectives, projects and publications on air pollution research conducted by SEI.
Feature / During the years 2015-2019, SEI invested in research, tool development and capacity enhancement as part of the initiative on Low Emissions Development Pathways.
Feature / An expert group, including SEI, issued a call for scientists and policymakers to develop a Covid-19 recovery plan linking health, climate and the environment.
SEI brief / A service design-driven approach to understanding the use of cleaner cookstoves in peri-urban Kenya
Feature / The first study to quantify the global burden of asthma linked to air pollution finds that it triggers up to 33 million annual emergency room visits.
Perspective / Reducing air pollution supports development goals. Here’s how it also helps countries enhance their commitments to mitigate emissions.
Perspective / The socioeconomic impacts of air pollution and crop losses need more understanding – especially when it comes to gender.
SEI brief / Factsheet describing the LEAP-IBC tool and its application for assessing impact of air quality, climate change and energy policy scenarios
Project / A project to assess levels of knowledge and people's understandings of air pollution and see whether this changes over time.
Other publication / The first comprehensive scientific assessment of the air pollution outlook in Asia and the Pacific details 25 measures to tackle the issue.
Other publication / Report shows how cutting air pollution in LAC region can limit global warming, prevent thousands of premature deaths, and benefit agriculture.
Project / Improving understanding about early life origins, burden, determinants, and prognostic significance of non-communicable lung disease in Kenya.
Project / Developing a new generation of process based crop models to better understand the mechanisms and impacts of multiple stresses.
Project / Developing technical and non-technical solutions to industrial pollution problems in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Project / CiXPAG investigates the complex interactions between climate extremes, air pollution and agricultural ecosystems.
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