A $1.5 million fund from Open Philanthropy, is poised to bring air quality monitors and open pollution data to some of the world’s most polluted communities.
The fund “EPIC Air Quality Fund” which was made public in a press release last week on July 24th, 2024 by the Epic Clean Air Program is now seeking applications from groups and organizations living and people working in the countries where these monitors would be deployed.
The applications to receive grants for the EPIC Air Quality Fund will be due on September 10, 2024, and the fund intends to provide support over multiple years for the selected awardees because a long-term commitment to local actors is necessary to achieve change.
Once the awardees are successful in their application, they will be required to share the air quality data they produce in a fully open manner (compatible with a CC-BY-4.0 license) and on a freely accessible platform where the information will be findable alongside other global datasets, such as on the non-profit OpenAQ platform. In this manner, the progress of the Fund’s supported efforts can be measured by anyone in the world, and the data produced can be ingested into a wide variety of international and national air quality efforts.
By working under the CC license, the awardees will let people distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the “air pollution” data in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. This means that people in areas where air pollution is at its worst will have access to data and look for measures to curb the air pollution in their communities since they can track the progress with the Air Quality Monitors.
“Air pollution is the largest current external risk to human life on the planet,” says EPIC Director Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago. “Yet, in many of the most polluted places, the issue flies under the radar because the basic building blocks of data that drive citizens’ engagement and spur policy don’t yet exist. Opacity and lack of transparency on pollution levels and its sources advantages polluters over people who must breathe the air. The EPIC Air Quality Fund is changing that, closing data gaps around the world to spur action in confronting pollution.”
Air pollution is the number one health risk to humankind, with EPIC’s Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) showing that the burden of pollution on life expectancy outstrips that of malaria, HIV/AIDS, and transportation injuries combined. But unlike Air Pollution, most of these killer diseases have received “good” media attention, awareness, and sensitization on how to fight them. For Air pollution, the story has not been the same over the years.
While research shows that installing air quality monitors and sharing real-time data with the public in places with very little or no data leads to cleaner air, nearly 40 percent of countries many of which satellite data shows are highly polluted and are not producing open-air quality data for their citizens. But with EPIC Air Quality Fund people from these communities will have data on the rate of air pollution in their communities.
“The EPIC Air Quality Fund supports local actors in countries with little or no air pollution data to generate information, share it with the public, and drive national-level impact,” says EPIC Clean Air Program Director Christa Hasenkopf. “Our goal is to expand access to air quality data to 1 billion people by 2030. We believe achieving this goal will allow communities across the world to breathe cleaner air and live longer, healthier lives.”
The history of progress on air pollution in many countries, including Japan, the United States, and China, shows that improvements in air quality came when the public demanded change and made air quality a political priority. The foundation for these demands was data that allowed local communities to understand the depth of the problem, and then later, data to provide a guidepost for setting air quality standards and evaluating their progress.
The countries that are most impacted by air pollution today are caught in a vicious cycle of inequality. Asia, Africa, and Latin America make up 96 percent of life years lost due to pollution. Europe, the United States, and Canada contribute just 4 percent, but they receive 60 percent of philanthropic funds to combat pollution. China and India receive a little over half of that and the rest of Asia, Africa, and Latin America receive just 4 percent of those resources.
The most polluted countries in the world include Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, Burkina Faso, and Iraq. Bangladesh consistently ranks among the highest for pollution levels, followed closely by Pakistan and India, which also face significant air quality challenges. Tajikistan and Burkina Faso, though with less data available, still report concerning pollution levels. Iraq is also noted for its high pollution rates. These countries face serious environmental and health impacts due to their pollution levels.
With little funding to address the issue, such as by installing air quality monitors, just 7, 4, and 19 percent of governments in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, respectively, provide their citizens with fully open air quality data. With little data, it is hard to generate a call for change or set policies. It is also hard to attract funding for the issue, so the cycle continues. The EPIC Air Quality Fund is now breaking this cycle.
“Open Philanthropy is happy to support the EPIC Air Quality Fund,” says Santosh Harish, a Program Officer leading grantmaking in environmental health at Open Philanthropy. “We believe this Fund leverages an outsized but rarely realized philanthropic opportunity to make air quality publicly accessible in countries with negligible monitoring data. Improved measurement increases the chance of government and public engagement with the problem, and could lead to improved air quality levels over the long term.”
The concept behind the Fund was piloted this year by EPIC Clean Air Program after it received about $140,000 in funding from Open Philanthropy and AWS (Amazon Web Services) to make four initial investments in local groups closing air pollution data gaps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire,
The Gambia, and Argentina. This new fund is now focusing on responding to a broader call from the air quality community for increasing global air quality monitoring capacity such as the Global Commission Common Air’s recent Call To Action, and the UNEA resolution on air quality adopted earlier this year.
The Fund is part of the EPIC Clean Air Program, which works to bring actionable information about the quality of the air we breathe and its impact on our health to every corner of the globe to motivate action and lay guideposts for efficient air pollution policies. Along with the Fund, this work includes the AQLI, which translates air pollution into its impact on life expectancy, and several particulate pollution trading markets being piloted in Indian cities in coordination with state governments.
Why do Ugandans need to apply for this fund?
As Uganda grapples with escalating air pollution and its severe health impacts, it is crucial for citizens, businesses, and organizations to actively engage in solutions. The recent launch of Air Quality Awareness Week underscores the urgency of addressing this environmental crisis, with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) highlighting the alarming statistics and health risks associated with poor air quality.
Air pollution is more than a minor inconvenience; it’s a significant health risk. According to Barirega Akankwasah, Executive Director of NEMA, air pollution is linked to 6.7 million premature deaths globally each year, with Uganda experiencing a substantial portion of this toll. Nearly 31,600 Ugandans die annually due to air pollution-related diseases, primarily in urban areas where the problem is most acute. The severity of this issue calls for immediate and effective action.
The Air Quality Fund presents a vital opportunity for Ugandans to contribute to and benefit from innovative solutions aimed at improving air quality. This fund is designed to support projects and initiatives that address the root causes of air pollution and promote cleaner, healthier environments. By applying for this fund, you can access resources that will enable you to develop and implement effective measures against pollution, from advanced emission control technologies to community awareness programs.
Cleaner air is integral to sustainable development. The fund encourages practices that not only address immediate air quality concerns but also contribute to long-term environmental sustainability. This includes promoting cleaner energy sources, enhancing waste management, and supporting policies that reduce emissions.
