Swarts calls for Africa-wide air quality system

By Levy Masiteng 

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts has called for the establishment of an Africa-wide air quality information system as governments confront pollution that is damaging public health, economic productivity and development across the continent.

Delivering the keynote address at the Africa Clean Air Forum in Pretoria, Swarts said millions of Africans continued to breathe air that failed to meet internationally recognised health standards.

“It is a public health emergency, a development challenge, a climate issue and a matter of environmental justice,” Swarts said.

She said poor air quality was contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, increasing healthcare costs and reducing productivity. Women, children, older people and vulnerable communities were bearing a disproportionate share of the burden, she said.

Swarts proposed the development of an African Air Quality Information System to help countries collect, analyse and publish pollution data. She said this would also