Desmond Appiah (first right) and other dignitaries unveiling the Breathe Accra logo
THE ACCRA edition of Breathe Cities, a global initiative that aims to empower cities and communities around the world to tackle air pollution and climate emissions has been launched, dubbed, ‘Breathe Accra’.
Along with nine other cities worldwide Accra has been selected with the aim of significantly reducing air pollution and its impact on the health of residents while empowering government to create targeted policies and interventions to combat the phenomenon.
It is spearheaded by Clean Air Fund in collaboration with C40 Cities and Bloomberg Philanthropies, under the theme: “Reducing Air Pollution And Climate Emissions: Our Collective Path to a Healthier Future in Accra.
Country Lead for Clean Air Fund Ghana, Desmond Appiah, emphasised the transformative power of empowering cities to address air pollution, saying the project prioritises community engagement through various initiatives, empowering residents to play a vital role in improving air quality.
“The Breathe Cities initiative will provide Accra with crucial support to strengthen its air quality data collection efforts”, he stated. “This enhanced data will offer a more comprehensive understanding of the city’s air pollution levels, enabling the development of targeted solutions.”
Executive Director of Breathe Cities, Jaime Pumarejo, said, “Research shows that people are increasingly more likely to die from breathing toxic air than from smoking. But by working together to tackle air pollution, we can save lives and address the climate emergency.”
“Cleaner air means better, longer lives for people everywhere. Accra is a regional and global leader taking action to reduce air pollution, slash carbon emissions, and enhance public health while also exchanging insights for other cities in Africa and around the world to learn from.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is glad to welcome Accra to Breathe Cities to help further their work in creating a safer and healthier future for all”, said Antha Williams, who leads the environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies.
BY Nii Adjei Mensahfio