Cooperation urged to control air pollution

Developing countries should focus on new ways to overcome the rising menace of air pollution, experts said at a webinar.

Experts at the webinar held on Wednesday called for efforts to increase awareness, foster connectivity and implement solutions in developing countries on air pollution, a statement issued by Comsats said.

The scientists speaking at the ninth session of Comsats webinar series said that governments in developing countries need to work with partners in the global south to chart the way forward to control air pollution for this decade.

The webinar titled "Air Quality under South-South Cooperation: What Works for Developing Countries, through the Lens of Science, Technology and Governance?" was jointly organised by Comsats Centre for Climate and Sustainability (CCCS) and Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO).

CCCS Head Ambassador Shahid Kamal, opening the session, talked about importance of air quality research for policy formulation.

Scientists from different regions of world talked about crises of poor air quality and health issues especially in global south countries.

Emphasising on health issues mediated from poor air quality, they observed that to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, clean air plays very important role in the context of, SDG 3 Good Health, SDG 7 Clean Energy, SDG11 Sustainable Cites and SDG13 Climate Action.

Scientists talked about research in the area of air monitoring, developing countries and even developed world are lacking research in this area.

Participants in the webinar included Dr Johann Antoine, Head of the Nuclear Analytical Lab and Project Lead for Air Quality Programme, Jamaica, Dr Eric Zusman, Senior Policy Researcher, and Institute for Global Environmental Studies (IGES) in Hayama, Japan, Dr Hassan Kchih, Head of Air Monitoring Section Environmental Protection and Control Department (EPCD) Royal Commission Jubail and Yanbu, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Professor Jalal Halwani, Head of Health and Environment Department, Director of Water and Environment Lab, Lebanon, Dr Foued El Ayni, Environmental Expert at Directorate of ICESCO, Morroco , Dr Jacob Sonibare, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, Abid Omar, Founder of Air Quality Initiative, Pakistan. Professer Gabriel Filippelli, Professor of Earth Sciences, Director, Centre for Urban Health, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, United States.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2020.