Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched Clean Air Catalyst, a new flagship program to combat air pollution, alongside a global consortium of organizations led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).
USAID partner countries are some of the most impacted by global climate change and integral to mitigating its impacts, which threaten decades of development progress. USAID, in support of the Administration’s bold climate agenda, is making climate change a top priority.
Through this program, USAID and partners will work with local communities — starting in Indore, India and Jakarta, Indonesia — to better understand local pollution sources and identify, test, accelerate, and scale solutions for cleaner, healthier air.
Cities are at the frontlines of a growing health and climate crisis. More than six million people die each year from causes related to air pollution, with nearly 80 percent of air pollution related deaths occurring in low and middle income countries. Poor air quality threatens urban livability and reduces crop yields. Many of the same emissions that damage lungs are also fueling climate change.
Clean Air Catalyst consortium partners include WRI, EDF, Columbia University Clean Air Toolbox for Cities, MAP-AQ, OpenAQ, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, Internews Network, and Vital Strategies.
Through the partnership, Clean Air Catalyst will work with communities around the world to identify and raise awareness of local pollution sources, and build focused coalitions to deliver interventions that lead to sustained progress on cleaner, healthier air.
Learn more at cleanaircatalyst.org.