The fourth International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
The fourth annual International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies calls for stronger partnerships, increased investment, and shared responsibility to overcome air pollution — a critical issue affecting both human and ecosystem health.
The County Government of Nakuru today hosted Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and partners including United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Africa, Safaricom, Athletics Kenya and the Slum Dwellers International Kenya (SDI-K) for a workshop at the Waterbuck Hotel in Nakuru to mark the fourth International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies which is observed annually on 7th September.
Nakuru Governor, H.E Susan Kihika, highlights the importance of clean air in the County, and acknowledges the contributions from partners, stating, “As we celebrate this important day, the County of Nakuru continues to be a champion of green and clean environment and be at the forefront of transformative initiatives to address air quality and climate change”.
Recognizing the severity of air pollution, collaborative efforts between SEI, UNEP and Nakuru County have led to the installation of eight air quality sensors across Nakuru City. Data from these sensors are providing baseline situation and lay the groundwork for evidence-based policies and actions to improve air pollution challenges facing Nakuru.
“Air pollution poses a severe threat to public health, the environment, and economic well-being and Nakuru City, like many urban areas in Africa, is not immune to this problem. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, through the collaborative efforts of SEI, UNEP, and the County Government of Nakuru we are privileged to have several air quality sensors in various facilities which serve as the foundation for understanding and addressing the air quality and climate change challenges facing Nakuru to enable us to take the necessary action,” HE Susan Kihika adds.
The global event, observed every September 7, serves as a rallying point to highlight the importance of clean air and to advocate for sustainable solutions to air pollution. By Resolution 74/212 of 22 January 2020, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) designated the Day to emphasize the need to make further efforts to improve air quality, including reducing air pollution, to protect human health.
This year’s theme, ‘Together for Clean Air,’ underscores this collective obligation.
UNEP Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Rose Mwebaza, brings attention to the alarming statistics: “In 2019, ambient air pollution was responsible for an estimated 383,419 deaths across Africa. Meanwhile, though household air pollution is declining, it still accounts for 60% of all air pollution-related deaths (1.1 million) across Africa where polluting fuels such as charcoal and kerosene are prevalent. In the face of growing inequality on pollution a significant burden of air pollution-related deaths occurs in Africa, making it incumbent for all of us to strive to a clean and habitable environment. At UNEP, we will continue to work with like-minded organizations and governments to make addressing air pollution and its attendant consequences a priority. It is important to prioritize creating awareness during major days such as the one we are observing today, invest in contextualizing the progress made and the unique challenges and solutions in monitoring air pollution in Africa and in assessing the impacts.”
Over the past two years, SEI, UNEP-ROA, SDI-K and Nakuru County have collaboratively initiated transformative projects aimed at improving Nakuru’s air quality and addressing climate change.
Dr. Philip Osano, SEI Africa Director, emphasizes that “Air pollution poses a severe threat to public health, the environment and economic well-being. Nakuru city, like many urban areas across the world, is not immune to this problem. SEI is pleased to co-host this important celebration in line with our work to bridge science, policy and practice. We will continue to support the county of Nakuru, the national government and other institutions with the science to enable them make sound decisions to address air quality and climate change issues for the betterment of our people.”
Joseph Muturi, Chair of the SDI Board of Directors says, "through public awareness, data accessibility, and policy advocacy, this celebration will empower Nakuru residents to be stewards of their own air quality and climate change information required to drive positive change in their city. Together, we can ensure that Nakuru City enjoys blue skies and a clean, healthy environment for now and future generations."
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and SDI-K have collaborated with Nakuru County to develop several key initiatives. First, they assisted in preparing the County’s Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP). More recently, SDI-K led the development of the Participatory Climate Risk Vulnerability Assessment (PCRA). These initiatives serve complementary roles, collectively aimed at establishing a comprehensive policy and legal framework. This framework is designed to enhance and monitor environmental quality, not only in Nakuru City but also throughout the county.
Athletics Kenya, a member of World Athletics, is the first of the 214 World Athletics Member Federations to sign the Sports for Climate Action (S4CA) framework under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). AK has been working with SEI, UNEP, and the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Art in highlighting the issues of clean air for both Sports people and communities.
“Athletics Kenya is pleased to join in the celebration for International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies,” Athletics Kenya President, Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei said. “This is our third time to join the celebrations following the 2022 one in Dakar, Senegal and in 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya. Athletes need clean air for training and to attain optimal performance during competitions and as such, clean air is critical for our sports.”
The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 2023 commemoration in Nakuru serves as an inspiration and a commitment to a cleaner, healthier future.
Further information and interview requests
Grace Karanja, Nakuru County director of environment and natural resources, neemah.karanja2009@gmail.com
Lawrence Nzuve, Communications Coordinator, Stockholm Environment Institute, +254 727364905, lawrence.nzuve@sei.org
Thomas Ogolla, Communications and Outreach Unit, United Nations Environment Programme-ROA, thomas.ogola@un.org
Partners
The Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research and policy organisation that tackles environment and development challenges. The organization connects science and decision-making to develop solutions for a sustainable future.
The United Nations Environment Programme is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
Slum Dwellers International is a global network of slum dwellers driving a collective, bottom-up change agenda for inclusive and resilient cities.
Safaricom is the leading telecommunication company in East Africa. Our purpose is to transform lives by connecting people to people, people to opportunities and people to information.
Athletics Kenya is the governing body for the sport of athletics (track and field) in Kenya. It is a member of World Athletics and Confederation of African Athletics and organises athletics competitions held in Kenya.
