Clean air is the new frontier of global cooperation
Briefly

Clean air is the new frontier of global cooperation
"As the minister chairing the G20's environment workstream this year, I am proud to have worked with member countries and international organisations to place air pollution firmly on the agenda. When Japan held the presidency in 2019, the focus was on marine plastics. Last year, under Brazil's leadership, the G20 prioritised finance for forests. This year, we sought to treat the right to breathe clean air with the urgency it deserves."
"In South Africa, our Constitution guarantees every person the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing. That principle guides our domestic policy and informs our leadership of the G20's discussions. This is the first G20 presidency on African soil, a fitting setting to confront this crisis. Africa is the fastest urbanising continent on Earth, and the choices we make today in how we power our homes, move our people,"
The G20 placed air quality on the agenda as a standalone priority during its Cape Town meetings. Outdoor air pollution causes 5.7 million deaths annually and received only $3.7bn in international development finance in 2023, representing about 1 percent of aid, with limited funding reaching Africa. South Africa's Constitution guarantees the right to an environment not harmful to health or wellbeing, informing its G20 leadership. Africa is the fastest urbanising continent, facing rising hospital admissions, school absenteeism, and productivity losses from pollution. The World Bank estimates outdoor air pollution causes economic losses equivalent to nearly 5 percent of global GDP each year.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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