The second annual Day of Clean Air for blue skies was held in September 2021, with the need for clean air remaining as important as ever.
Globally we all breathe the same air and we only have one atmosphere, it needs our protection.
Here's what global representatives had to say..
"The links between environment, climate and our well-being are clearest when we look at the case of pollution. We know that we cannot achieve a world without poverty and we certainly cannot have a world that is green, resilient and inclusive without tackling the problem of air pollution"- Dr. Juergen Voegele, Senior Vice President, World Bank
THE THEME
Healthy Air, Healthy Planet
This year’s theme of “Healthy Air, Healthy Planet” focuses on the global nature of clean air. We all breathe the same air and share one atmosphere that protects and sustains us all. Air pollution is a global problem and we must act together to combat it. The theme highlights the link not only between air quality and human health but also planetary health. It follows on from 2020’s theme of “Clean Air for All”.
Clean air is not only essential to the environment, but to people’s health.
Air pollution doesn’t have to be a part of our collective future. We have the solutions and must take the necessary actions to beat air pollution, we must ensure #WorldCleanAirDay becomes a global call for action that leads to long-term change to make sure future generations have access to clean air.
A web of information
Last year an exciting new digital platform was established for the launch and observance of the first ever International Day of Clean Air for blue skies. The website offers all the information on the observance of the Day this year as well- including report launches, events, informational and communication content as well as news and articles from across the world.
building momentum
The Day generated a buzz with wide scale participation and engagement seen from across the world. This included:
- Over 78,000+ page views during the month of September with over 15,700 downloads of different content
- The most popular pages on site were the 'Frequently Asked Questions', 'Register Your Event' and the 'Featured Updates' pages.
- The Day's website was seen by over 1.2 M people on social media and engaged with over 42,000 times.
- Most traffic came from the countries of Mexico, Peru and India.
- The most engaged audience were between the ages of 18 and 34 years which is reflective of increasing interest amongst the youth and their inclination towards creating change.
telling the story
A full pipeline of articles and stories were deployed in the build up to and on the Day itself to bring the conversation on air pollution centre stage:
- 10 Stories were contributed and posted on the Day's official website which reached over 39,000 people.
- More than 76 online events were registered and observed as well as broadcast across multiple time zones in more than 10 languages.
- All the World Clean Air Day content was produced and shared in 8 languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
engagement
The Day saw stakeholders partaking in the observance the world over - from government entities and civil society organisations to private-sector companies and individuals.
A range of engaging visual assets were created for the Day by the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Communications Division. These included the Quiz, FAQ, Launch Video and the Pollution Dashboard.
THE STATE OF GLOBAL AIR: The Pollution Action Note
For the observance of the second International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on 7 September 2021 UNEP launched its Pollution Action Note which displayed the global state of air pollution, the major sources, the impact on human health and national efforts to tackle this critical issue. The Action Note showed that:
- Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to public health globally and accounts for an estimated 7 million premature deaths every year.
- Air pollution and climate change are closely linked as all major pollutants have an impact on the climate and most share common sources with greenhouse gases.
- The Pollution Action Note was created to drive transparency and accountability and accentuate the urgency to act around the pollution issue.
- Since its launch the UNEP Pollution Action Note has been seen over 10,000 times, with referrals from the EPA, The Guardian and more.
Content created for the Day was shared across UNEP's corporate communication channels including social media platforms, (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat) with a total outreach of over 12 million people.
The content was produced in all 6 official UN languages as well as in Kiswahili and Portuguese.
- The usage of the two hashtags were intertwined: #WorldCleanAirDay, #HealthyAirHealthyPlanet
- English social media had a total reach of over 10.5 million with over 1.5 million views, 881,000+ engagement, and nearly 100,000 link clicks
The best performing content across all platforms was the emoji art, pollution dashboard, launch video, some of the infographics (especially on LinkedIn) and the in-depth post.
The top posts per platform were:
Twitter: Emoji Art; Dashboard; Launch Video
Instagram: Emoji Art; Social Card; Waste Story
Facebook: Dashboard; Launch Video
LinkedIn: In-Depth Post; Infographic
Key Influential Voices Lend Their Support
Several key influencers also joined the community of action to further amplify the message. These included: climate action leaders such as Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation (WHO); artists like Aidan Gallagher, Dia Mirza, Li Chen, BingBing , Karry Wang; as well as industry leaders such as Vishal Shekhar Sharma, CEO, Paytm, India, and Formula E driver Lucas Di Grassi.
Be the change you want to see in the world
The voices of youth were heard from across the world and they took climate actions for a better tomorrow!
Youth influencers like Catalina Robayo, TV Presenter; Daniel De Valle, Singer and Youth Advocate; Michell Roxane; Marcela 'The Recycler" came out in support of the observance of the Day. Their support increased momentum and contributed to raising awareness about the issue of air pollution, while advocating for change. In terms of engagement through our youth voices who shared content on various social media channels, the total views and impressions realised were over 413,000.
Celebrating the Second International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 2021, UNEP HQ, Nairobi, Kenya
UNEP HQ, Nairobi:
- A high-level dialogue was held on 7 September 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya.
- The event discussed the findings of key United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports on the subject.
- The session was hosted by Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director and moderated by Andrea Hinwood, UNEP Chief Scientist and included panelists from the civil society, academia as well as government leaders discussing the impact of air pollution on health, the economy and climate, remaining challenges and gaps, as well as successful policies and actions.
Watch it below
International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 2021,
UNHQ Commemoration, New York, USA
This year's celebration in New York was co-organized by UNEP, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
The event presented an opportunity to:
- Discuss the key role air pollution plays in people’s health, including children, and the multiple benefits of improving air quality.
- Discuss how industry’s actions contribute to mitigating air pollution
- Raise awareness and facilitate actions to improve air quality, thereby contributing to the global development agenda.
TAKING ACTION FOR CLEAN AIR
Bangkok, Thailand
This event was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and UNEP and hosted by the Republic of Korea Embassy in Thailand. The event was under the framework of the UN Issue-Based Coalition on Climate Change Mitigation and Air Pollution.
The event aimed to:
- Promote and facilitate solutions
- Highlight actions that have been taken to address air pollution
- Showcase international support
Live Stream of Air Quality Data
Nairobi, Kenya
The Global Environment Monitoring System for Air (GEMS Air) of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), supports countries to provide quality assured data to keep the state of the world’s air quality under continuous review, develops capacity of member states, provides information and services across the science-policy-public interface and fosters transformation by leveraging the collective knowledge of a global network of partners.
To commemorate the second International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, GEMS Air partnered with Safaricom, a leading Communications Company in Kenya to organise a live stream of air quality data to digital billboards in Nairobi.
'Third Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) Joint Forum"
Bangkok, Thailand
The Third Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) Joint Forum brought together governments leaders, experts, private sector, and civil society organizations to discuss how we can ‘Build Back Better for Healthy Air and a Healthy Planet’.
This event was organized by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Japan.
The forum aimed to showcase the region’s progress to beat air pollution and discuss opportunities to accelerate clean air solutions, contribute to carbon neutrality, and support socio-economic recovery. It served as a regional knowledge exchange and dialogue platform on clean air for the Asia Pacific region to recognize progress and showcase solutions, inform new evidence, and inspire and accelerate action.
europe and central asia
- Several articles were published on the Day including in news and media outlets such as Mirage News Australia, Down To Earth India as well as Oil and Gas Magazine, Middle East.
- The Swedish National Radio produced a report and called in their correspondents from Asia, London, and Africa to talk about the situation in their continent with reference to the UNEP report.
- The estimated number of potential readers reached through these activities was over 3 million.
- In addition to this a writing competition was held in Kazakhstan under the theme of 'climate change' with over 42 articles submitted. The winners of the contest were Ms. Zhanna Shayakhmetova of The Astana Times national news outlet; Ms. Zulfiya Raissova, of the Central Asian Bureau of Analytical Reporting and Mr. Dulat Tulepov, of the Elorda Aqparat news site.
North America
- UNEP collaborated with the American Lung Association (ALA) to produce a video featuring Dr. Albert Rizzo, Chief Medical Officer for the ALA and Sophia Kianni, United Nations Youth Advisor on Climate for North America. This video called for individuals to pledge to 'Stand Up for Clean Air'.
- UNEP Regional Goodwill Ambassador Aidan Gallagher joined our efforts in spreading the message about air pollution - the problem, its impact on our lives and the solutions through his social media channels.
- Social media was used to promote the official New York HQ event, the launch of the 'Actions on Air Quality' Report and to commemorate the Day and U.S. EPA’s Megacities platform using the hashtags: #WorldCleanAirDay #HealthyAirHealthyPlanet.
Middle East
- Two video interviews were hosted in collaboration with NGOs in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
- Social Media collaboration with WFP in Iraq was launched.
- A webinar was also held on September 7th in collaboration with UNESCWA, the American University of Beirut, and the Swedish Environment Institute.
Latin america and the carribean
- A regional event with Participation of health and environmental authorities of Barbados, Colombia; Uruguay, Panama.
- Two multilingual video spots on air quality and health - Indoor and Ambient.
- Launched a Breathe Life webinar series on air quality and health to address 2021 WHO AQG, AQ Monitoring and Household Energy.
To win any battle, we need to know our enemy. UNEP and its partners, such as the WHO, are constantly updating the science on air pollution and researching new solutions. Read the reports linked below to find out everything you need to know so you can act appropriately.
In the run up to the Day, two major publications were launched from UNEP
'Global Assessment Of Air Pollution Legislation Report'
On 2 September 2021, The Global Assessment of Air Pollution Legislation (GAAPL) was launched.
The First GAAPL presents the findings of a study of air quality legislation in 194 countries and across the European Union. Using the Air Quality Guidelines developed by the WHO as a starting point, the report examines the legal measures for determining whether air quality standards are being met and what legal standards exist for failure to meet them.
The GAAPL provides recommendations to assist countries in strengthening air quality governance and serves as a resource for countries wishing to effectively address air pollution and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Action On Air Quality Report
On 7 September 2021, UNEP launched the global 'Actions On Air Quality' report.
This report provides a review of policy actions of Member States per the mandate provided by UNEA Resolution 3/8 on preventing and reducing air pollution to improve air quality globally. It builds on UNEP’s 2016 report ‘Actions on Air Quality’ which provided an overview of actions undertaken by countries around the world, focusing on a set of measures that if adopted would significantly improve air quality.
This new report is based on data collected in 2020 through a detailed survey shared with member states, supplemented with relevant literature documenting key actions being undertaken by governments around the world to improve air quality. The report is complemented by regional summaries documenting more in-depth actions in key sectors as well as regional trends and priorities.
The 'Actions On Air Quality' report garnered a lot of interest across the world and was viewed over 4,400 times with 753 downloads in total.
WHO launched its New Global Air Quality Guidelines on 22 September 2021
- Since its last global update in 2005, the WHO launched The New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) on 22 September which provide clear evidence of the damage air pollution inflicts on human health, at even lower concentrations than previously understood.
- There has been a marked increase of evidence that shows how air pollution affects different aspects of human health. For that reason, and after a systematic review of the accumulated evidence all the AQGs levels have been adjusted downwards, warning that exceeding the new air quality guideline levels is associated with significant risks to health. At the same time, however, adhering to them could save millions of lives.
- The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which also contribute to climate change.
- The goal of the guideline is for all countries to achieve recommended air quality levels and highlight good practices for the management of certain types of particulate matter for which there is currently insufficient quantitative evidence to set air quality guideline levels.
There was large scale participation across different government bodies, UN agencies and key partners to make this day a resounding success. Resources were contributed by The Federal Ministry of Environment and The German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), through a Grant Agreement implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), provided financial support to develop communication assets for the day. Coordination of the Day was led by UNEP's Pollution and Health Unit, UNEP's Communication Division and The Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
Credits:
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