The County Government of Nakuru is set to install air quality monitoring gadgets that will offer timely data to tackle rising air pollution and help the city adapt to climate change impacts.
City Manager Gitau Thabanja said the devices will be placed at various spots in the city and will utilize high resolution Artificial Intelligence and make data accessible to members of the public via a smartphone app and digital dashboard.
Thabanja added that as part of the initiative, the County was working with a team from Respira in conducting research to assess the air quality across the city and mapping out hotspot zones that contribute significantly to pollution levels including heavy traffic routes, densely populated neighborhoods, Giotto waste dumping site and industrial zones.
According to Mr. Thabanja, the initiative funded by Flemish International Climate Action Program (FICAP), will integrate an artificial intelligence tool to enhance the accuracy of air quality forecasting and establish a central data center for continuous air quality monitoring, aligning with the city’s commitment to environmental sustainability and public health protection.
He explained that Respira is an intelligent Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) management system that uses Artificial Intelligence to improve energy efficiency, thermal comfort and air quality in buildings and infrastructures.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with the team from Respira, the city manager noted that lack of actionable data and insights had made it difficult to track pollution trends and said by providing accurate, real-time data on air quality, the monitoring sites will serve as the foundation upon which the city can build more effective policies and interventions.
“With reliable data, we will be better positioned to identify pollution hotspots, track pollution trends, and take swift action to reduce harmful emissions,” added Thabanja.
The official expressed optimism that through the initiative the devolved unit will be able to monitor air quality, compile a pollutant emission inventory, model and predict air quality trends, set and enforce air quality standards and put in place the relevant legislative and administrative frameworks and also be able to provide regular on-line and real time air quality reports, such like weather reports of the Kenya Meteorological Department.
He called for collaborative efforts to tackle air pollution in Nakuru City adding that addressing air pollution was not only a government mandate but also of all stakeholders.
The county administration’s priority areas in curbing air pollution, Thabanja said included equipping the city with its air quality monitoring network and air quality management system, development and enactment of Nakuru Air Quality regulations, capacity building training, procurement and deployment of comprehensive low-cost sensor Air Quality monitoring network and data and research.
He disclosed that the devolved unit was also working with other partners including Egerton University, KU Leuven, Sensors Africa, and the Kenya Meteorological Department to provide timely data that will enable the city to better understand pollution trends and adapt to climate change impacts aligning with Nakuru’s Climate Change Act and the National Climate Change Plan 2023-2027.
As a vibrant premier industrial and commercial center, Nakuru City has to deal with consequences of rapid population growth and urbanization such as increased motorized transport and industrial activities, added Thabanja.
According to the official, the establishment of Air Quality Regulations and a cabinet-approved Air Quality Plan will lay the foundation for sustainable Air Quality programmes adding that such frameworks will ensure that County endeavors to improve air quality are integrated into the city’s structures and financial systems, ensuring long-term sustainability.
World Health Organization cites possible air pollution drivers in African cities as industrial processes like untreated effluents, use of biomass, poor waste management practices, urban transport infrastructure and dust from unpaved roads.
Air pollution is said to be the world’s largest single environmental health risk with the World Health Organization report showing that seven million people die every year due to exposure to air pollution.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), ambient (outdoor) air pollution was estimated to cause close to 400,000 premature deaths in Africa alone in 2019, while indoor air pollution caused more than one million premature deaths.
According to USAID, Kenya air pollution is the fourth largest risk factor to early death globally and second in Africa after malnutrition.
By Esther Mwangi
