• Nairobi County has unveiled its boldest move yet the Air Quality Action Plan (2025–2029) alongside a new Air Quality Data Management System and Public Portal.

Every breath tells a story, and the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that millions of lives are lost each year because of air pollution. Almost the entire global population 99 percent inhales air that exceeds WHO safety limits, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the heaviest burden.

Air pollution is not only a health crisis but also a climate crisis, since the same fossil fuels that poison the air also heat the planet. Policies that reduce pollution therefore deliver a double victory: protecting human health while slowing climate change.

Dr. Arvind Kumar, an Indian surgeon and the chairman of the Institute of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Oncology Surgery, and Lung Transplantation at Medanta Hospital stresses that prevention must begin before the air is poisoned.

“Unrestricted use of fossil fuels, whether coal, oil, or gas is crucial because fossil fuels is among the major sources of pollution. The price of pollution is paid by our lungs,” he says.

Against this backdrop, Nairobi County has unveiled its boldest move yet the Air Quality Action Plan (2025–2029) alongside a new Air Quality Data Management System and Public Portal.

Launched in partnership with the Clean Air Fund through the Breathe Cities Initiative, the plan aims to reduce harmful emissions, improve public health, and promote sustainable urban development.

It prioritizes modern public transport systems and safe spaces for walking and cycling to cut reliance on polluting vehicles. Nairobi is also pushing for a circular economy through recycling and sustainable waste management, clamping down on illegal dumping and open burning.

For the first time, residents and policymakers can access hyper-local air quality data, empowering communities with knowledge. By directly linking cleaner air to fewer respiratory illnesses, cancers, and premature deaths, the plan frames pollution as a public health emergency.

Follow us on WhatsApp for real-time updates, community voices, and stories that matter.