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$67m funding boost for global Clean Air Fund
The organisation says the funding will help galvanise commitments from city leaders, governments and the private sector to tackle pollution around the world.
The Ikea Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) are contributing $67m over the next four years to the Clean Air Fund, the world’s largest philanthropically funded organisation dedicated to tackling air pollution.
The Clean Air Fund is expanding its work, with a new office in Accra opened last year, new EU initiatives underway in Brussels and a programme in South Africa due to commence in the coming year.
Accelerating air quality improvement
World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that 99 per cent of the global population breathe air that breaches the WHO guideline limits. Almost seven million people die each year because of air pollution, twice as many as those who die from malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDs put together.
Air pollution is also closely linked with climate change as they share many of the same causes. Air pollutants like black carbon cause 45 per cent of current global temperature rises.
“This investment will accelerate our work in more countries, and help galvanise commitments from city leaders, governments and the private sector to tackle air pollution”
“The movement for clean air is at a critical juncture. Despite significant progress over the last four years, much more needs to be done to reduce air pollution, saving millions of lives, reducing enormous health harms and mitigating climate change,” said the Clean Air Fund’s founder and executive director, Jane Burston. “This investment will accelerate our work in more countries, and help galvanise commitments from city leaders, governments and the private sector to tackle air pollution.”
Over the next four years the Clean Air Fund aims to catalyse a total of $250m in funds for air quality programming. It will work to secure significant progress on reducing air pollution in at least eight countries and 55 cities. And it will encourage at least 75 multinational companies to commit to ambitious plans to reduce their air pollution footprints across their value chains.
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With air pollution disproportionately affecting those living in poverty, the organisation said it will be placing a particular emphasis on working with grassroots communities to ensure the benefits of clean air can be secured for all.
“Alongside the climate crisis, air pollution is one of the worst public health emergencies we face today,” said Per Heggenes, CEO at the Ikea Foundation. “With our initial funding, the Clean Air Fund has been able to push funders, mayors, national leaders and industry to take clean air seriously and commit to action.
“The movement for clean air is at a critical juncture. Despite significant progress over the last four years, much more needs to be done to reduce air pollution, saving millions of lives and mitigating climate change”
“With our continuing support, the Clean Air Fund can now double their efforts, improving the health of children and adults by tackling air pollution and accelerating climate action”
The Ikea Foundation is a strategic philanthropy that focuses its grant-making efforts on tackling the two biggest threats to children’s futures: poverty and climate change. The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) is an independent philanthropic organisation, with offices in Addis Ababa, Beijing, London, Nairobi and New Delhi. Established in 2002, CIFF works with a wide range of partners seeking to transform the lives of children and adolescents in developing countries.
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How will the $67m funding accelerate global air pollution reduction efforts?What strategies will engage city leaders and governments to improve air quality?How can multinational companies effectively reduce their air pollution footprints?In what ways will grassroots communities benefit from Clean Air Fund initiatives?How does reducing air pollution contribute to mitigating climate change impacts?
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