By Abbas Nazil
The Africa Clean Air Forum 2026 opened in Pretoria with a strong call for African governments, researchers, development partners and civil society organisations to move beyond policy commitments and accelerate practical actions that will reduce air pollution, protect public health and strengthen regional cooperation across the continent.
The forum, hosted by AfriCAN in collaboration with partners including the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), brought together policymakers, scientists, academics, international organisations and civil society groups to position clean air as a critical public health, environmental justice and sustainable development priority for Africa.
Opening the forum, Prof. Gyebi Duodu of the University of Pretoria stressed the need to bridge the gap between scientific research and policymaking, saying evidence generated by researchers must directly influence government investments, environmental policies and air quality management strategies.
He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to conducting research that addresses real societal challenges and delivers practical solutions for improving air quality across the continent.
Representing Black Girls Rising, Xoli Fuyani reminded participants that air pollution is fundamentally a human issue affecting people’s daily lives, particularly women, children and vulnerable communities.
She urged governments and development partners to recognise clean air as a basic human right and ensure that communities remain at the centre of clean air policies and interventions.
South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, described air pollution as a growing public health, economic and environmental justice challenge requiring coordinated national and regional responses.
She highlighted South Africa’s ongoing efforts to strengthen emissions inventories, improve industrial emissions management, expand public participation and enhance air quality information systems while noting that the country’s G20 Presidency had elevated clean air through the Cape Town Declaration on Air Quality.
Participants agreed that stronger regional cooperation would be essential to tackle transboundary air pollution, harmonise environmental standards, improve monitoring systems and mobilise investments needed to improve air quality throughout Africa.
Discussions also emphasised the importance of transparent air quality data, stronger institutions and sustained public trust to support evidence-based environmental policies.
Speakers noted that Africa already possesses growing scientific expertise, successful local initiatives and increasing political commitment, but stressed that greater investment and stronger partnerships are needed to translate those achievements into cleaner air and healthier communities.
A high-level plenary involving representatives of the African Union Commission, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, C40 Cities, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution examined how regional partnerships could strengthen Africa’s clean air agenda.
The panel highlighted recent international commitments, including the G20 Cape Town Declaration on Air Quality and the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution promoting regional cooperation on air quality, as important frameworks for improving accountability, mobilising financial resources and accelerating implementation.
Representing the African Union Commission, Dr. Harsen Nyambe described the Africa Clean Air Programme as the continent’s flagship initiative for strengthening air quality monitoring, harmonising environmental policies, building institutional capacity and promoting knowledge sharing among African countries.
He said closer collaboration with Regional Economic Communities would help expand monitoring networks, improve data exchange and support evidence-based policymaking.
Technical sessions showcased new technologies that are transforming air quality management across Africa, including low-cost air quality sensors, advanced modelling systems and machine learning applications that improve monitoring accuracy and expand data coverage.
Researchers from the University of Pretoria demonstrated how machine learning could enhance the reliability of low-cost sensors under African environmental conditions, helping governments overcome challenges associated with limited monitoring infrastructure and high operational costs.
Presentations also highlighted how air quality modelling is helping authorities identify pollution hotspots, assess emission sources and evaluate potential policy interventions before implementation.
Case studies from Johannesburg showed that modelling had informed the development of Clean Air Zones by identifying residential fuel combustion and waste burning as major contributors to fine particulate pollution, enabling authorities to design more targeted interventions.
Government representatives from Togo, Gauteng Province, Nairobi and Kampala also shared practical experiences on expanding monitoring infrastructure, developing emissions inventories, improving public awareness and strengthening environmental regulation.
Regional organisations, including the Sahel Climate Commission, highlighted the need for cross-border collaboration to address desert dust, household energy pollution and landscape degradation through cleaner cooking technologies, stronger monitoring systems and climate resilience programmes.
Participants concluded that sustainable improvements in Africa’s air quality would depend not only on modern technology but also on stronger governance, sustained investment, scientific innovation, community participation and enduring partnerships capable of translating research into policies that deliver cleaner air and healthier lives across the continent.
