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How City Hall plans to tackle air pollution through Air Quality Index tool

A section of the Nairobi Expressway built by China Road and Bridge Corporation in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: Dong Jianghui/Xinhua via AFP)

By Maureen Kinyanjui | 02 May 2024

The Breathe Nairobi Strategy outlines ambitious priorities for the project, including equipping the city with its own air quality monitoring network.

In a bid to tackle air pollution and safeguard public health, the Nairobi County Government has announced plans to establish a city-owned air quality data management system.

The county will procure an Air Quality Index (AQI) tool that will be used to indicate changes in the amount of pollution in the air. The instrument will work like a thermometer.

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The process of measuring air quality involves collecting data from monitoring stations strategically located in different areas.

This air quality data management system will include an open public data access portal and a comprehensive air quality monitoring network, marking a pioneering initiative not only within the country but also in the region.

Ibrahim Auma, Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Green Nairobi on Wednesday said the decision to launch this initiative follows a successful validation meeting that endorsed the Breathe Nairobi Strategy, paving the way for its implementation in the city county.

The Breathe Nairobi Strategy outlines ambitious priorities for the project, including equipping the city with its own air quality monitoring network, developing and enacting Nairobi Air Quality regulations, and conducting capacity-building training.

CEC Auma emphasised the critical importance of addressing air pollution.

"The adverse impacts of air pollution on health, environment, society, and the economy cannot be overstated. The Breathe Nairobi initiative stands as a unique and timely project, positioning the City County Government as a leader in its implementation," he said.

Air Quality regulations

The county executive further highlighted the commitment of Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration to developing and enacting Air Quality regulations and adopting an Air Quality Action Plan.

He emphasised the significance of establishing Air Quality Regulations and a cabinet-approved Air Quality Plan, which will serve as the foundation for sustainable air quality programs in the county.

Air pollution poses a significant global threat to public health, resulting in an estimated seven million premature deaths annually.

According to the latest 2022 World Air Quality Report, Nairobi boasts some of the freshest air in Africa, trailing only behind select cities in South Africa and Angola.

The report, which gathers data from air quality monitors worldwide, highlights Nairobi's favourable air quality compared to other major cities.

While specific details about the location of Nairobi's air quality monitors are not fully disclosed, one monitor is known to be situated in the Pumwani ward.

However, the report does not specify the exact locations of the remaining monitors.