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working group Final_2.pptx
1. • Ibrahim Ouchen (Morocco/UMV Rabat)
• Leonard Kirago (Kenya/Sweden)
• Hamid Chaabani (Morocco/UM6P)
Air pollution and air quality research
challenges in the African context
Report
1
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
• Aishah Shittu (Nigeria/Leeds)
• Liezl Bredenkamp (South Africa)
• Nimo James (Ghana)
2. Summary
1. Introduction
2. Common contributors to air pollution in Africa
3. Research challenges in Africa
4. Recommendations
2
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
3. 3
Introduction
African region is experiencing:
• High Population growth
• Rapid urbanization
• Industrialization and Economic
growth
• Surge in energy usage
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
6. 6
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
GAW Kenya
• Exact number of monitoring sites not
known
• Most African countries don’t have real-
time air pollution monitors
• e.g., ozone vertical profiling takes place
only in three locations on the Africa
continent
Research challenges in Africa
Lack of research infrastructure
GAW South Africa
Source: UNICEF, 2019
7. 7
Research challenges in Africa
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
• Different locations of measurement stations
• Different measurement methods
• Different temporal coverage of certain
measurements
• Data from different countries were available for
different years
• Differences in the size of urban areas covered
• Heterogeneity in the quality of measurements
Database limitations
8. 8
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
• Very limited research efforts are
undertaken.
• One or two in-country research
professors limited publications
• One or two students limited
dissertation write ups.
Research challenges in Africa
Lack of expertise
• Low budget for scientific research and development
• Lack of adequate and stimulating conditions for researchers, postgraduate students
• Lack of local expertise
Lack of awareness by decision makers leads to
9. 9
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
• African science systems largely operate
independently of each other, creating
silos of incompatible policies
• Practices and data sets that are not
consistent or inter-operable
• Africa’s linguistic chasms of English,
French, Portuguese, Spanish and
indigenous languages create further
barriers.
Research challenges in Africa
Lack of collaboration
10. 10
Recommendations
ASAS 2022- Ben-Guerir Morocco
• Education at local and national level
• Establish monitoring networks (reference stations and surrounding low-cost networks)
• Funding for acquiring and maintaining infrastructure
• Equip African researchers with the necessary skills (technical and research) to conduct
studies at an international standard (e.g., ASAS/UM6P)
• Collaboration between researchers and non-academic sector
• Sharing knowledge by making data available and publishing findings
• Investing in cleaner energy sources (household and commercial)
Wildfires: Approximately 52% of wildfires around the world take place in Africa.
Residential biomass burning: A common practice especially among low-income families both in rural and urban areas.
Crop residue burning: Easiest way to clear large fields if there are no livestock to graze it.
Agriculture: Accounts for 98% of anthropogenic emissions of ammonia (livestock and fertiliser).
Unpaved roads: Suspends dust particles in the air. The majority < 2.5 um
Vehicle emissions: NOX, CO, PM2.5 etc
Residential combustion: Variety of fuels (wood, charcoal, kerosene, etc.), common for low-income families, UNICEF estimated 352 million children in Africa live in homes where polluting fuels (solid fuels and kerosene) are still used for cooking.
