OpenAQ Applauds Adoption of UNEA Resolution To Improve Air Quality

At its sixth session in Nairobi, Kenya (UNEA-6), the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted Resolution UNEP/EA.6/L.13: Promoting regional cooperation on air pollution to improve air quality globally.

This pivotal resolution will establish a global framework for regional and sub-regional cooperation around air pollution–the leading environmental risk factor for human health, which also contributes to climate change and ecosystem failure.

The goals of the resolution are to redouble efforts to address air pollution across multiple sectors by increasing regional cooperation, boosting awareness-raising efforts, increasing technical support and capacity building, and mobilizing financing.

Air pollution does not respect boundaries. Its impacts may vary block to block, but it crosses all human-drawn boundaries and most geographical boundaries–even oceans. Regional cooperation is necessary to address transboundary air pollution; and even the most localized efforts to reduce pollution benefit from scientific discovery and lessons learned from successful pollution-reduction initiatives across the globe.

OpenAQ is delighted to see this focused effort to support a cooperative network that will, among other things, build and enhance national air quality monitoring capacity and encourage sharing of data and air quality maps. Data are fundamental to understanding and taking corrective action to improve air quality. Data sharing across boundaries and sectors allows everyone to innovate, collaborate, and apply effective solutions to air pollution.

The OpenAQ air quality data platform has already supported countless efforts and initiatives to solve air pollution, and hosts freely available data from 153 countries across the globe. We stand ready to support the expanded data sharing and cooperation called for by this resolution, and we look forward to working with partners to help people around the world breathe clean air.