Nairobi billboards show air pollution data:

Digital billboards around the Kenyan capital have started to live stream Nairobi’s real-time air pollution in an effort to increase air quality awareness among the city’s 4.7 million inhabitants.

The initiative – by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, Safaricom, a telecommunications provider in Kenya, Alpha and Jam Ltd and Metropolitan Star Lite Ltd,  Out Of Home (OOH) media – provides real-time air quality information for some of the most harmful type of air pollution, fine airborne particles, known as PM2.5. The pilot aims to engage the public by streaming real-time air pollution information to digital billboards at 4 critical locations in the city: Moi Avenue, University Way, Mbagathi Way and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

PM2.5 causes serious health issues, including asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease. Exposure to PM2.5has also been associated with low birth weight, increased acute respiratory infections, and stroke.

Traffic in Nairobi by Keshie Muchai.

“Real time air quality monitoring will help us with the issuance of health advisories as well as for formulation of smart traffic controls that minimize congestion,” said Lawrence Mwangi, Assistant Director of Environment in charge of pollution control at the Nairobi County Government. “Dynamic advisories demonstrated through this collaboration will help people limit their exposure to harmful pollutants.”

Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and simple stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. More than 50% of premature deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5 are caused by the particulate matter (soot) inhaled from household air pollution.  Outdoor air pollution in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 3 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 with 88% of those premature deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

Policies and investments supporting cleaner transport, energy-efficient housing, power generation, industry and better municipal waste management would reduce key sources of urban outdoor air pollution.  Most residents of the city do not have access to real-time air quality data and consequently, are often unaware of the harmful levels of air they breathe.

“Action on air pollution, which is responsible for millions of premature deaths a year, is critical – efforts should focus on high-risk communities, such as people living in informal urban settlements,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Innovations to reach and engage the local community and decision-makers alike, can only elevate the understanding of the impacts of air quality and help create an enabling environment improve human and ecosystem health.”

The Nairobi air quality awareness demonstration project is the result of a unique collaboration between the UN, the private sector, academia, non-governmental and local governmental organizations and is expected to accelerate efforts to change how transport, waste management and other services are managed in cities so that air pollution from these activities is significantly reduced, if not eliminated.

“This partnership lies very much at the heart of our sustainability agenda that seeks to address environmental issues such as air pollution, which remains a major challenge especially in urban centres. We intend to use our digital platforms and expansive network infrastructure to support the air quality monitoring project to expand across more urban areas in Kenya”, said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.

The demonstration project comes as the world celebrates the 2nd International Day for Clean Air and blue skies on 7 September, this year held under the theme, Healthy Air, Healthy Planet. The Day calls for increased international cooperation at the global, regional and sub-regional levels. It provides a platform for strengthening global solidarity as well as political momentum for action against air pollution and climate change, including the increased collection of air quality data, carrying out joint research, developing new technologies and sharing best practices.