Tainted water and soil and dirty indoor air put Chad, the Central African Republic and Niger as the three countries with the most pollution-related deaths, according to data adjusted for population. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Reporting by Gloria Dickie; Editing by Katy Daigle and Lisa Shumaker. The deaths were caused by cholera a diarrhoeal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria. A: It was really around making sure we had open discussions and that essentially everybody saw this as something thats intended to help. African countries are in a unique position to leapfrog over mistakes made elsewhere and to achieve prosperity without pollution, he explained. So, the argument from some African economists to aim for a year of austerity is not only misguided but also harmful. It is not clear why. Governments describe austerity as a shared, short-term sacrifice aimed at producing shared long-term gains. The petrochemicals and plastics industries fought the deal, and trade negotiators largely adopted the industrys position, according to internal emails from the Office of the United States Trade Representative and other negotiators present. If they were to force this sort of trade agreement on us, I fear we will be easy prey, he said. Will our response to this problem be slightly different from what were seeing at the global level?. The dumpsite is a real menace, says Gregory Ngugi, who runs a local youth group, the Dandora Youth Multipurpose. Along with the lack of political will and action over the past two decades, these factors have formed a perfect storm. The WHOs air quality guidelines, as well as country-specific laws, have identified a few air pollutant components: particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometer (PM2.5) and 10 micrometer (PM10) in aerodynamic diameter, sulphur dioxide (SO2), ground-level ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene, lead and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Household air pollution is the predominant form of air pollution, but it is declining, whereas ambient air pollution is increasing, explain the scientists in a paper published in The Lancet medical journal. The traditional paradigm is that as middle and low-income countries grow you often see more emissions, and to see a different kind of trajectory is very interesting, said Jonathan Hickman, a researcher at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies who was the lead author on the study. The review concluded that (based on the few studies) 17%, 10%, 34%, 17% and 22% of PM2.5 levels in Africa are due to traffic, industry, domestic fuel burning, unspecified source of human origin and natural sources - such as dust and sea salt. "This population growth risks exacerbating food insecurity in a region that is already home to 30% of the world's chronically hungry people," the report states. Theres an urgency in addressing the other forms of plastic pollution, especially the open burning of waste. The Kenya proposal really sets off alarm bells, said Sharon Treat, a senior lawyer at the nonpartisan Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy who has worked for more than a decade advising trade talks in both the Trump and Obama administrations. Major issues include weak governance, alleged corruption, and poor management of assets, operations and maintenance. 'The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children's Climate Risk Index' is the first comprehensive analysis of climate risk from a . South African environmental justice groups hope a favorable ruling in the case will compel the government and coal industry to reckon with its devastating health impacts and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. At the beginning we asked the question, Can the model provide us with trade-offs? That wasnt necessarily an issue at a global scale, but as a developing country facing incredibly high levels of unemployment, it becomes very important. The key problems highlighted are global warming and climate variability, loss of . Titled The Cost of Coastal Zone Degradation in West Africa, the study shows staggering numbers. The current state of drinking water supplied across the country also needs a critical evaluation. That drop was so significant, Dr. Hickman said, that it resulted in a net decrease of the pollutant in the region. This causes the secretion of enormous amounts of water, leading to diarrhoea and a rapid loss of fluids and salts (electrolytes). I think weve got fairly good data in comparison to many other developing countriesbut even here we have gaps in data. Environmental Groups Hope Case Will Force Government Action on Emissions, Share this via Facebook UNEP's body of work demonstrates that the problem of plastic pollution doesn't exist in a vacuum. Despite this, we do know something about the continents air pollution levels. COVID-19, by comparison, has killed about 6.7 million people globally since the pandemic began. Her interests include biodiversity loss, Arctic science, the cryosphere, international climate diplomacy, climate change and public health, and human-wildlife conflict. The WHO has air quality programmes for most of the worlds regions. In a country with unemployment close to 40 percent, this is not a . Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. While we seem to be at the tail end of the pandemic, the inflationary shocks due to supply-chain disruptions continue thanks to Russias war on Ukraine. In addition to the lives lost, air pollution costs African countries billions of dollars in gross domestic product. Are the main sources and drivers of air pollution different from those on other continents? Austerity, in simple terms, is cutting back on spending and wages to reduce inflation as well as so production of companies and sectors can take place at a lower price. Updated: 05/14/2022 Table of Contents Water Pollution in Africa Causes of Dirty Water in Africa Solutions to Water Problems in Africa Lesson Summary Frequently Asked Questions How bad is. Measures should include investing in clean renewable energy; reducing road traffic and traffic-related pollution through measures such as creating vehicle-free zones; and regulating agricultural burning as well as the open burning of waste by households. Air pollution in Africa threatens economic development and future growth, but can be avoided by wise leaders who transition rapidly to wind and solar energy and avoid entrapment by coal, gas and oil.. Which countries have the worst air pollution levels? In May last year, nations reached an agreement to regulate plastic as hazardous waste under the Basel Convention, making it far tougher to ship plastic waste to developing countries. She is also the author of Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future (W.W. Norton, 2023). The disease can be fatal if left untreated. Even though the model is about as simple as one can get, there are so many things you need to consider to make sure that you get the plastic flows through the system right, that you source and apply the right data. In April 2019, the council invited Maureen Hinman, a trade official, along with other agency officials, to discuss the industrys $1.5 billion pollution-fighting proposal. So many people want to solve the plastic pollution problem. Share this via LinkedIn Cholera is closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities. "We're sitting in the stew pot and slowly burning," said Richard Fuller, a study co-author and head of the global nonprofit Pure Earth. The main factors behind the countrys sewage crisis and cholera outbreak are: lack of maintenance of basic infrastructure at local government level, lack of implementation and enforcement of existing legislation and policy. The PM2.5 data based on the WHO air quality model show that the number one spot again belongs to the Eastern Mediterranean region, followed by the South-East Asia region and then Africa. Africa could be spared a host of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, through cleaner air, but air pollution data across the continent that could influence policy is of poor quality or inaccessible, making efforts to track air quality difficult.Now, satellite data can predict air quality in cities and towns and can plug the gap in African cities without ground-based sensors. Photograph: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters. A Shell plant near Pittsburgh is part of a petrochemical hub intended to serve the world with plastics made from cheap natural gas amid the fracking boom. South Africa has made progress in expanding access to water infrastructure on a national level. While environmental groups had criticized the industrys proposals as inadequate, Ms. Hinman had a different response. Hot weather can also bring on these. A: Initially, for me, its just the complexity of the problem, which is why taking a systems approachwhich the Pathways model providesjust makes so much sense. I think that if we can solve it for South Africa, theres a lot to be learned about how it can be solved in other developing countries. Lucy is one of thousands of workers who sort through Kenyas street and landfill waste for recyclable materials. Among local communities, the plants have raised air pollution concerns. Africa faces some of the highest water risk in the world Source: " Climate Change Is Hurting Africa's Water Sector, but Investing in Water Can Pay Off," World Resources Institute,. The health crisis we are seeing can be attributed to the legacy of sewage pollution across the country because wastewater treatment works are in poor or critical condition due to under-investment and mismanagement. Dwellers in Nairobi slums perceive air pollution to be a major problem in their settlements 5 and identify emissions from industries and dump sites as the main cause. Preventing it requires more than practising individual hygiene. We have to only look to the plastic pollution in Southeast Asia to realize where Africa is headed if we dont address the issue now. The advantage of the Pathways tool is that when in-country data is missing, we can draw on what we have in the global model and the default archetype values. Only AIDS causes more deaths. But again, you know, we need to recognize that every country faces its own unique challenges. Deaths from traditional pollutants are declining globally. For example, in South Africa, these tax hikes have increased the costs of consumption for lower-income households, compounding the pressure from the shock of inflation, lower budgets for public services and higher unemployment. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. and makes it one of the most carbon-intensive economies in the G20. The database also does not mention on how many days the 2009 yearly level is based as missing data can lead to a distorted yearly level. As a university student walking to class, Mr. Wakibia, now 37, used to pass a noxious landfill in Nakuru, Kenyas fourth-largest urban area. This does not mean wasteful spending should not be curbed. A: I think its been getting reliable data, even for South Africa. The cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal is not limited to that area: the reported cases are part of a wider outbreak in South Africa as well as the wider southern African region. Kenyas growing ports, railways and road networks can support an expansion of chemicals trade not just between the United States and Kenya, but throughout East Africa and the continent, Mr. Brzytwa wrote. We encourage Africas leaders to take advantage of the fact that their countries are still relatively early in their economic development and to transition rapidly to wind and solar energy, thus avoiding entrapment in fossil-fuel-based economies, Landrigan said. A possible explanation may be that environmental health risk factors are overshadowed by other risks like malnutrition, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. A: We very often hear the plastics industry say, If you put plastic bans in place, if you put other restrictions in place, it will result in job losses. And weve just never had the evidence to be able to say, Well, is that true, or is it not?. Indoor and outdoor sources combine to make air pollution the second largest cause of death in Africa, claiming more lives than tobacco, alcohol, motor vehicle accidents, and drug abuse. 2.6 billion people have gained access to an improved drinking-water source since 1990. Southern China swelters, power grids struggle under 'relentless' heatwaves, Japan slammed by torrential rain as tropical storm nears, Global airline summit to tackle travel boom, climate goals, Chemical makers to set aside $1.19 billion to settle PFAS-related claims in US, Goldman Sachs to cut more jobs, eyes sharp fall in markets revenue, Sweden orders Uniper to fire up mothballed plant, Orsted and ESB sign agreement to develop Irish offshore wind, Lululemon shares surge as consumers snap up pricier athletic wear. The PM10 data, based on ground measurements conducted between 2008 and 2015, show that all African countries with PM10 data exceeded the WHO annual guideline of 20 microgram/cubic meter (g/m). That setback has re-energized industry to seek deals with individual countries to boost the market for plastics, and find new destinations for plastic waste, analysts say. Air pollution is a well-known cause of breathing problems. It is as much about structural reform (budgets, labour markets, money supply and privatisation) as it is an ideology that has been used in the past by authoritarian regimes. Most of these people live in informal settlements and urban slums, and are defenceless against water-related illnesses. Perpetual Rights Risks from Unrehabilitated Coal Mines in South Africa, European Development Banks Link to Abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Palm Oil Industry, Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. For PM10 the corresponding source distribution is 34%, 6%, 21%, 14% and 25%, but should be viewed with caution due to the few studies. Somalia; 6. In other words the total Coliforms count per 100ml is above the set standard of 10 counts per 100ml. To foster a plastics hub, he wrote, a trade deal with Kenya should prevent the country from measures that would curb plastic manufacture or use, and ensure Kenya continues to allow trade in plastic waste, demands that experts said were unusual and intrusive. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. It is also difficult to know exactly what the contribution of different sources of air pollution are in Africa. In the sprawling dump in east Nairobi, Emmanuel Lucy rummages through glass, metal, leftover food and dirt. South Africa; 7. This advisory group was made up of local stakeholders, including representatives from the plastics sector, to really make sure we had key people on board from the beginning. But we hardly get anything out of the job.. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently launched BreatheLife, a campaign to make people more aware about the fact that air pollution which it calls the invisible killer is a major health and climate risk. The Vaal River is a good example. Some have reached crisis levels. 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Recognizing that appropriate solutions will vary by location, Pew and the University of Oxford created the Breaking the Plastic Wave Pathways Tool (Pathways),which considers local context when evaluating different approaches to reducing plastic pollution. Its shocking.. VAT is a consumption tax on goods and services and, as a source of revenue, has become more important globally during the last 20 years. But at the same time, when I see how important the datasets areand obviously when I think about what comes from this in terms of the decisions that will be made and the intervention strategies that will be put in placeit just reiterates for me how important it is to have rigor in the data collection and to ensure that all stakeholders are comfortable with the flows and the data used. Ones always got to be very careful in global studies: Very often the best available data is from developed countriesthe global northand I really wanted to make sure that the issues were facing in Africa were represented in this study. That includes an estimated55 million peoplepushed into poverty in Africa. In Africa, macroeconomic management has no doubt been turbulent but has also closely followed the dogma of austerity. The Office of the United States Trade Representative didnt respond to interview requests or to detailed lists of written questions, nor did officials at Kenyas Trade Ministry. Air pollution takes millions of lives in countries with the worst levels of it such as China and India. Pivoting to plastics, the industry has spent more than $200 billion on chemical and manufacturing plants in the United States over the past decade. We need to broaden the campaigns and fight against plastic pollution.. Read more: Yet in Africa too, polluted air is an increasingly major health hazard, which killed as many 1.1 million people in 2019 alone, scientists say. Its a game without an end in sight. As a country, we need to be looking at those four indicators. River of bacteria: a South African study pinpoints what's polluting the water, Research Officer - Structural Biology of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases, Lecturer in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Senior Lecturer/ Associate Professor, Economics. Austerity is another form of structural violence and oppression. Water pollution from coal is a serious problem in South Africa, and the country faces a deepening water scarcity crisis. It is hard to say what the real picture is. Fewer sites globally measure PM2.5, hence the focus is on PM10. The spread of diseases air pollution causes are negatively impacting the life expectancy of children. But the behind-the-scenes lobbying by the petroleum companies has spread concern among environmental groups in Kenya and beyond that have been working to reduce both plastic use and waste. The modelled PM2.5 data supplements the data from ground monitoring networks, especially in regions with no or very little monitoring, as is the case in Africa. Now that weve built the capability domestically, we have the ability to work with other countries on the continent to run similar kind of initiatives through the CSIRs #SolvePlasticsAfrica hub. The heavy toll of coal mining in South Africa (Schneider 2015) [click to view] [8] Good . We wanted to see if we could apply this model at a more local scale, at the country level, for South Africa. Niger, the largest country in West Africa, is among the worst for access to clean water and among the world's poorest. It is a major risk factor for climate change. A sustainable waste management law, which will come into force in July, will require companies to reduce the pollution and environmental impacts of the products they introduce into the Kenyan market either individually or through collective schemes. A: Well, first of all, I think the Breaking the Plastic Wave report and the Pathways tool provide every country with an evidence-based approach, once and for all, to solving the plastic waste problem. Associate Professor, University of Pretoria. In 2020, single-use plastics were prohibited in protected areas such as parks and forests. So, for me, when this project came up around developing an evidence-based strategy to mitigate the leakage of plastic into the environment, it just made absolute sense to be part of it and to make sure that developing countries in Africa were represented in the Breaking the Plastic Wave study. This interview with Dr. Linda Godfrey, principal scientist at the CSIR and an associate professor at South Africas North-West University, was edited for length and clarity. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Soil erosion, climate change, decreased rainfall, and many other unfavourable circumstances are partly the outcome of the clearance of forest cover for timber and agricultural land. Non-potable water can taste normal (like potable water) but can cause serious health problems in this case, cholera. This isnt innocent: Ghana is being held to ransom if it wants a $3bn IMF bailout. There has also been a lack of accountability and political will over the past two decades. The industry thinks it has found a solution to both problems in Africa. The bacteria are shed in the stools of people who are infected. I spent last week in Mpumalanga, hearing from residents about the burdens they say result from the coal industry: from asthma and respiratory illnesses to the risk of drowning in unrehabilitated coal mines. With just that alone theres enough information for countries to take action. Daniel Maina, the founder of the Kisiwani Conservation Network in Mombasa, Kenya, said the trade talks were coming at a particularly vulnerable time, as Kenya was starting to feel the economic effects of the pandemic. For their most recent study, published in the online journal Lancet Planetary Health, the authors analyzed 2019 data from the Global Burden of Disease, an ongoing study by the University of Washington that assesses overall pollution exposure and calculates mortality risk. Deforestation Deforestation is one of the main factors that harm the ecological balance of the entire planet, not just Africa. The chemistry councils plastics proposals would inevitably mean more plastic and chemicals in the environment, said Griffins Ochieng, executive director for the Centre for Environmental Justice and Development, a nonprofit group based in Nairobi that works on the problem of plastic waste in Kenya. In addition to the worsening air pollution problem in slum settlements of SSA, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) situation has also deteriorated. What are the main sources and drivers of air pollution? An earlier version of this article misidentified a group formed by the plastics industry to address the issue of waste. The air quality in Europe is well monitored, but there is an urgent need for concrete. Obvious interventions include clean energy technology such as solar power, to minimise domestic fuel burning and emissions from coal-fired power plants. In 2017 alone air pollution killed an estimated 1.1 million people on the continent. What we dont need is plastic waste, Losses of volume in lakes worldwide highlight the need for better water management. And cutting back on public spending will only aggravate the problem. Alarmingly, exposure to air pollution also stuns the intellectual development of many of the continents children, which could have grave repercussions for their mental health. But this increases the interest rates on external debt repayments, too. Gloria Dickie reports on climate and environmental issues for Reuters. Only a few companies signed on, and its membership has remained dismal. Air pollution is caused by harmful particulates and gases, released in high quantities into the air. African governments are prioritising debt repayments over social spending. Caroline Kimeu in Nairobi. But heres the problem: While buying a new presidential plane is an expenditure, protecting peoples health and livelihoods is an investment. closed its ports to most plastic trash in 2018. On a national scale the bacterial and/or pathogen concentration values exceed the numerical limits specified in SANS 241. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. Video: Violence and Rape by Zimbabwe Gov't Forces After Protests. The continent has 34 out of the worlds 39 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, per the World Bank, under constant and intense pressure to repay what they have borrowed. Based on data of ground measurements conducted in 2008-2015, Africas PM10 levels are not the highest in the world. Besides scarcity, there are other problems with water in Africa stemming from pollution. PM10 and PM2.5 are important indicators of long-term air quality and of health risks. A recent review indicated that very few studies in Africa conducted source apportionment of PM2.5 and PM10. Sub-Saharan Africa is the notable exception, with a total fertility rate of above five for the period between 2010 and 2015, and a projected rate of 3,2 in 2050. The study offered a list of the 10 countries most affected by pollution-related deaths, based on their findings on mortality adjusted for population. A: Plastic pollution has become very visible across the continent, including along our coastlines. Can we use the default archetype data for that country as proxy for South Africa data?. Those terms could literally encapsulate every kind of bag ban, bottle ban, said Jane Patton, a plastics expert at the Center for International Environmental Law. Based on the limited number of PM10 and PM2.5 source apportionment studies in Africa, these tentative conclusions can be drawn. The report highlights dire consequences for health, the economy, biodiversity and the climate. People havent thrown their hands up and said, Well, you know theres nothing we can do about it, so well just continue to live surrounded by waste. People want to solve the problem. the Breaking the Plastic Wave Pathways Tool (Pathways), Fisheries Management Can Strengthen Compliance, How Maps Inform Climate and Conservation Decisions, Special Meeting Sets Stage for Southern Ocean Protections. Alarmingly, exposure to air pollution also stuns the intellectual development of many of the continent's children, which could have grave repercussions for their mental health. For the longest time, industries have been running away from responsibility, so this law will put them to task, says Wakibia. Lesotho; 9. Waste pickers such as Lucy, who play a significant role removing plastic from the streets and landfill, face a tremendous amount of stigma due to their work. [Recycled plastic can be more toxic and is no fix for pollution, Greenpeace warns]. Its a lot of work to get all of the data and to make sure that all stakeholders agree on the flows and the data thats being used. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Its Plan: Flood Africa With Plastic. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Only 64% of households are estimated to have a reliable and safe water supply service. Domestic fuel burning is the major source of PM2.5 in Africa, followed by traffic and natural sources such as dust. Dow referred queries to the American Chemistry Council. We have done something, Mr. Wakibia said of the bag ban. At the same time, pollutive indoor cooking practices in badly ventilated abodes remain commonplace. That way, we can provide a strategy that considers key environmental, social and economic priorities for South Africa. According to documents reviewed by The New York Times, an industry group representing the worlds largest chemical makers and fossil fuel companies is lobbying to influence United States trade negotiations with Kenya, one of Africas biggest economies, to reverse its strict limits on plastics including a tough plastic-bag ban. In Appalachia, Texas and nationwide, almost 350 . More and more used cars are being imported, which drives up emissions from transportation. Nova Scotia: Why are wildfires raging in Canada's eastern province? This shows poor wastewater treatment works performance . I think the other thing, which has really been great and that Ive also really welcomed, is the co-development approach that Pew and Oxford University have taken with us. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people around the world have fallen into poverty. They want the government to better implement a 2012 plan to improve air quality in Mpumalanga, including through regulations targeting large polluters in the coal industry. The new study provides an important tool for filling some of these data gaps in Africa where there is a dearth of air pollution studies at multiple levels, said Andriannah Mbandi, an environmental researcher based in Kenya and affiliated with the Stockholm Environment Institute. Food prices remain at least 30 percent higher than before the pandemic. The negative health impacts of coal, and air pollution specifically, form the basis of the Deadly Air case, a legal challenge by two South African environmental justice organizations groundWork and Vukani Environmental Movement (VEM) which will be heard in the Pretoria High Court from May 17 to 19. The United States Federal Reserve keeps raising interest rates to curb inflation in the worlds largest economy. In the emails, the American Chemistry Council found a sympathetic ear among United States trade representatives. Figure 1. Niger; 4. @mcorkery5, A version of this article appears in print on. A recent report by the United Nations counted 127 countries with policies on the books to regulate or limit use. It was the United States against the world, said Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network, a nonprofit that lobbies against the plastic waste trade. The finding is important because Africas growing population, currently at 1.2 billion but expected to top two billion by 2040, is urbanizing fast. Plastic pollution in oceans and other bodies of water continues to grow sharply and could more than double by 2030, according to an assessment released on Thursday by the UN Environment Programme ( UNEP ). These water treatment plants require urgent intervention and rehabilitation. The records, obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests by Unearthed, a London-based affiliate of the environmental group Greenpeace, paint a picture of close ties between the trade representatives, administration officials and industry representatives. Hey ladies, she wrote, This gives us some good fodder to build a strategy.. A dump in Nakuru, Kenya. Im tempted to start casual dating, Taxi driver sacked after dashcam footage shows passenger threatened with gun, County-by-county guide to the best places to eat in Ireland, Weekend GAA previews: Kingdom backlash on Leeside could be imminent, Pet owners warned over deadly algae in lakes after death of number of dogs, England turn screw on Ireland as Ben Duckett leads the way with record hundred, RAF Lossiemouth: The British military airbase that protects Irish skies, Newsreader Donna Traynor thankful for support as BBC discrimination case settled. Niger: 54% lack access to clean water. Areas typically at risk include peri-urban slums and rural areas where the minimum requirements of clean water and sanitation have not been met. Central African Republic; 3. Are there things that we need to be aware of at a country level that perhaps we werent at a global level? Only then will Mpumalangas residents be able to breathe clean air and have sustainable and clean jobs that simultaneously contribute to addressing the climate crisis. If the trend can be sustained, it would be good news for human health and climate change. Air Pollution Disease Outbreak Related Health Topics Overview There is no Disease Outbreak data at this time Factsheet: Air pollution Key Facts Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and simple stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. As you increase G.D.P., you see a decrease in the amount of NO2 but it only followed that pattern to a certain point, Dr. Hickman said, describing the analysis the team carried out, tinkering with wealth and pollution levels within the model. The current cholera outbreak is not necessarily an issue of potable water. The dependency on imports led to an increase in prices. Prof Anja du Plessis, a research specialist in water resource management, believes that the crisis could have been averted. That model, however, came undone due to the supply-chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. Share this via Reddit The partial or the complete lack of functioning wastewater treatment works is accompanied by significant negative implications for public health, the environment as well as socio-economic development and growth. So, if South Africa doesnt have its own data for a particular data point, we can say, Well, is there another country thats very similar? The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Solomon Islands; 5. The other two major sources of PM10 in Africa are domestic fuel burning and natural sources. This pursuit of austerity has entrenched inequality, unemployment and poverty among the majority. In the first major attempt to estimate the health and economic costs of air pollution in Africa, an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report found that air pollution in Africa already causes more premature deaths than unsafe water or childhood malnutrition. . May 17 (Reuters) - Worsening outdoor air pollution and toxic lead poisoning have kept global deaths from environmental contamination at an estimated 9 million per year since 2015 countering modest progress made in tackling pollution elsewhere, a team of scientists reported Tuesday. The reason, according to researchers, is that an increase in pollution from industry and transportation in the area studied from Senegal and Ivory Coast in the west to South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya in the east appears to have been offset by a decline in the number of fires set by farmers. River of bacteria: a South African study pinpoints what's polluting the water. Regardless of the exact global source contributions, the main sources of air pollution should be tackled globally in management plans and interventions. I must say Im really excited by what came out of this project, after a lot of hard work by the modelling team. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Royal Dutch Shells 386-acre plastics plant outside Pittsburgh is billed as the anchor for a new petrochemical hub in Appalachia, a region reeling from the collapse of the coal industry. Regulations outlining how the new law will work will be introduced by 2024. With renewable energy such as wind and solar already frequently cheaper than oil and fossil gas per kilowatt hour, the hope is that African governments can factor in the economic benefits of. 10 Safest Countries in Africa to Visit According to The Global Peace Index - Love and Road . But none exists for sub-Saharan Africa. The level for Onitsha is based on PM10 data collected only in 2009 and only at one site. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. In fact, air pollution levels exceeding the WHO air quality guidelines are often very visible, particularly in developing countries. Within this century Africas population is set to triple from 1.3 billion people in 2020 to 4.3 billion by 2100. We need to be careful that we dont defeat the essence of the ban by allowing so much [plastic waste] by primary packaging, says the environmental activist James Wakibia, who pushed for the ban on plastic bags. Water issues [ edit] Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808. Activist, poet, climate campaigner and research manager, Southern Center for Inequality Studies, Wits University. Air pollution in Africa frequently comes in the form of the indoor variety from cooking stoves, which accounted for an estimated 700,000 deaths while outdoor air pollution claimed another 400,000 lives, according to scientists at Boston College and the United Nations Environment Programme. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Tue May 30 2023 - 11:50. A pipeline for a geothermal power project in Olkaria, Kenya. Kenyas efforts to restrict plastics and encourage re-use are worrisome for plastics makers, whose leaders see the country as a promising market. Courtesy of Linda Godfrey The trade office didnt respond to requests to speak with Ms. Hinman or to written questions about the email. For example, value-added tax (VAT) accounts for about a fourth of all tax revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa. The negative health impacts of coal, and air pollution specifically, form the basis of the "Deadly Air" case, a legal challenge by two South African environmental justice organizations . However, champions of austerity treat investments in social protection as an expense. The countrys continued sewage crisis, which has now led to a cholera outbreak, is largely due to non-functional municipal sewage systems. South Africa's water quality scores as "tolerable" in terms of microbiology standards and "unacceptable" by operational standards. But now the coronavirus pandemic has caused not only oil and gas prices to plummet, but plastics prices, too. What you are doing with the alliance is an important counternarrative, she said, referring to the industrys Alliance to End Plastic Waste. Don't miss our latest facts, findings, and survey results in The Rundown. And so we had a great discussion early on about this model providing us with trade-offs such as, what approach would give us the least leakage of plastic into the environment, with the greatest opportunity for climate mitigation and the greatest opportunity for job creation, at the lowest cost? Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Every weekday, get the worlds top human rights news, explored and explained by Andrew Stroehlein. Previously, businesses were not obliged to take part in waste collection and recycling schemes such as Petco, an initiative created in 2018 after authorities threatened to ban the production and sale of plastic bottles. These issues within municipalities have led to the failure of wastewater treatment works. Economic output lost to air-pollution-related diseases was $3 billion in Ethiopia, or 1.16 percent of the countrys gross domestic product; $1.6 billion in Ghana (0.95 percent of GDP), and $349 million in Rwanda (1.19 percent of GDP), the scientists found. North Korea; 8. Guardian Service. LAGOS, Nigeria Rapidly growing countries generally see sharp increases in air pollution as their populations and economies expand. Our argument isnt new. Engulfed in plastic: life is at risk in the planets oceans, Its time for a new approach in saving white rhinos, Its not just Iran: Conflict over water resources is on the rise, We need plastics. But the quality of the data is questionable. Plants like these have revolutionized the plastics industry by turning fracked natural gas into the manufacturing material for millions of plastic bottles, bags, clamshell containers, drinking straws and a parade of other products, tapping into a seemingly endless supply of cheap shale gas from Americas booming oil and gas fields. Given the lack of PM2.5 ground measurements in Africa, the PM2.5 data derived from the WHO air quality model for Africa should be viewed with caution. Faced with plunging profits and a climate crisis that threatens fossil fuels, the industry is demanding a trade deal that weakens Kenyas rules on plastics and on imports of American trash. Research fellow, African Centre of Excellence for Inequality Research (ACEIR), University of Cape Town. Profits are plunging amid the coronavirus pandemic, and the industry is fearful that climate change will force the world to retreat from burning fossil fuels. But unlike climate change, malaria, or HIV, "we haven't given (environmental pollution) much focus.". I always worry about that: Its so easy to just throw data into a model and then make sweeping statements in terms of what comes out of it. PRETORIA, 20 August 2021 - Children and young people in South Africa are among those most at risk of the impacts of climate change, threatening their health, education and protection, according to a UNICEF global report launched today. The industry thinks it has found a solution to both problems in Africa. . She is based in London. The new study used NASA satellite data and imagery to measure dangerous gases present in the regions air and determine fire trends between 2005, when NASAs records started, and 2017. The production of plastic products has exploded over the past decade. But a new study of air quality in Africa published on Monday has found the opposite: One of the continents most vibrant regions is becoming less polluted. As we celebrate our anniversary and look ahead to our next 75 years, achieving measurable, meaningful change will continue to be at the heart of our mission. The water must be free from contaminants and harmful bacteria or pathogens. PM2.5 and UFP penetrate deeper into the lung alveoli and may pass into the bloodstream. The American Chemistry Councils April 28 letter to the trade representatives office laid out the groups vision. It warned that this could develop into a health and climate crisis. long-term air quality and of health risks, Research Officer - Structural Biology of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases, Lecturer in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Senior Lecturer/ Associate Professor, Economics. My concern is that Kenya will become a dumping ground for plastics, said Dorothy Otieno of the Centre for Environmental Justice and Development. Does the model still apply, or is our plastics system very different? She called it an industry-led effort to erode these democratically enacted policies in foreign countries. And not just for Kenya, but all of Africa.. Theres always been this debate around Is plastic pollution an upstream consumption issue or is it a downstream waste management issue? The Breaking the Plastic Wave project framed it by saying there are different intervention leverswith different groups advocating for different levers to be pulled, depending on their own mandates and their own objectives. Traffic is a major source of PM10 levels in Africa as in many other global regions. Pollution has surpassed AIDS as the leading cause of death on the continent. Among local communities, the plants have raised air pollution concerns. Plastic is an inescapable part of everyday life, found everywhere from homes to factories to grocery storesand, increasingly, the ocean. What are South Africa's most common environmental problems? Environment Pollution killing 9 million people a year, Africa hardest hit - study By Gloria Dickie May 18, 20221:32 PM PDTUpdated a year ago These pollutants cause disease and death to humans, damage to other living organisms such as animals and food crops, and harm our ecosystems. She was part of the Times team that received the 2013 Pulitzer for explanatory reporting. Photograph: AP. metric, air pollution levels were almost back to the levels that they were when we started out, he said. I think they were in shock.. In 2019, American exporters shipped more than 1 billion pounds of plastic waste to 96 countries including Kenya, ostensibly to be recycled, according to trade statistics. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/climate/oil-kenya-africa-plastics-trade.html. More than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, a third of which is designed to be used only once. South Africas water quality scores as tolerable in terms of microbiology standards and unacceptable by operational standards. A trade group is pushing United States trade negotiators to demand a reversal of the countrys strict limits on plastics. Also the author of Eight Bears: Mythic past and Imperiled Future ( W.W. Norton, 2023 ) studies Africa... What are the main sources and drivers of air pollution different from those on other continents covid-19 by. About a fourth of all tax revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa think its been getting reliable data, news and in! Over mistakes made elsewhere and to achieve prosperity without pollution, especially the open burning of waste a! See the country also needs a critical evaluation across the continent, along! Obvious interventions include clean energy technology such as dust are domestic fuel burning natural... Emails, the study shows staggering numbers the industrys alliance to End waste. 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