By Eyo Nsima
The Daily Africa Summit has concluded plans to hold the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on Friday, September 16, 2022 at 4pm local time with Prof. Hilary Inyang as Guest Speaker.
The virtual event, which has ‘The Air We Share’ as theme, aims at examining issues and problems facing the air globally, recommending actions toward addressing them as well as mobilizing support for implementation.
The event is in line with the United Nations call for collective accountability and collective action to achieve and preserve clean air, which all nations share.
United Nations
Providing background to the important event, the UN maintained that, “On November 26, 2019, the Second Committee of the 74th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted a resolution designating September 7 as the “International Day of Clean Air for blue skies”.
“The resolution stresses the importance of, and urgent need to, raise public awareness at all levels and to promote and facilitate actions to improve air quality.
“Air pollution is the largest contributor to the burden of disease from the environment, and is one of the main avoidable causes of death and disease globally. 99% of the world’s population is now breathing polluted air, warns WHO. 7 million people die each year due to air pollution, with 90% of them in low- and middle-income countries (WHO, Lancet Planetary Health).
“The third International Day of Clean Air for blue skies will be held on 7 September 2022, under the theme of ‘The Air We Share’. It focuses on the transboundary nature of air pollution highlighting the need for collective accountability and collective action.
“Air pollution knows no national borders and is all pervasive. Moreover, it is strongly correlated to other global crisis such as climate change, biodiversity loss, other forms of pollution, social and gender parity as well as economic development.
“Some air pollutants, such as black carbon, methane and ground-level ozone, are also short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and are responsible for a significant portion of air pollution-related deaths, as well as impacts on crops and hence food security. Climate change is inextricably linked to air pollution, wherein one cannot be resolved without addressing the other, an integrated approach to tackle both could result in significant co-benefits. By 2050, we can halve global crop losses from these pollutants by reducing methane emissions, an ingredient in the formation of tropospheric ozone, an important greenhouse gas and air pollutant, which would potentially save between $4 to $33 billion USD.
“The need to raise awareness about the problem, impact and solutions for air pollution; collection and sharing of data, research and best practices as well as strengthening international and regional cooperation for efficient implementation has never been greater.
Prof Hilary Inyang
The Distinguished Professor Hilary I. Inyang, is a Visiting International Research Fellow, Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA), HSRC, Pretoria, South Africa; Visiting Professor of Geoenvironmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), Mumbai, India; and President, Global Institute for Sustainable Development, Advanced Analyses and Design (GISDAAD), Concord, NC, USA.
He is a world-renowned researcher, expeditionist and educator in the areas of environmental science and engineering, geohazards, energy systems and international development. He is a member of the Education Caucus of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and served for two terms (1997-2001) as Chair of the Science Advisory Board (Engineering Committee) of USEPA in Washington DC, USA.
He is also the former Duke Energy Distinguished Professor and Director of the Global Institute of Energy and Environmental Systems of the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA: former DuPont Professor of Environmental Engineering and Science and Director of CEEST, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, USA, former President of the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria, and former Vice Chancellor of the Botswana International University of Science and Technology.
He chaired the Steering Committee of the Africa Science Plans under the auspices of the International Council for Science, UNESCO and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Currently, he is a UNESCO Consultant on Water Security and Visiting Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B), Mumbai, India.
He has authored several research proposals and won research grants from several agencies including the US National Research Foundation, Sandia National Laboratories (USA), General Electric Corporation, US Environmental Protection Agency, and the African Development Bank. He has won more than 20 professional prizes and is a former AAAS/USEPA Environmental Science and Engineering Fellow, US National Research Council Young Investigator and Eisenhower/Randolph Fellow. He has authored about 275 publications and served on 29 journal editorial boards. He won the 2013 Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) in science and technology and is a Fellow of both the African Academy of Science and the Geological Society of London. He is also a Proost Poet.
Attendance
Attendance is open to members of the public, including environmentalists, scholars, students, policy makers, opinion leaders, youths, community leaders, financiers, legislators and women. CONTACT PERSON: Eyo Nsima | EMAIL: eyonsima1@gmail.com | PHONE: (+234) 0703-158-0345.
