Blue Skies for Healthy and Prosperous Cities
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BOX 3.16
Public Awareness Programs on Air Pollution in the Middle East and North Africa Egypt
Morocco
During its project to tackle the black-cloud phenomenon caused by burning of crop residues in the Greater Cairo region (discussed in box 3.14), Egypt has recognized that raising awareness about the problem is crucial. The responsible authorities have held more than 1,800 seminars to inform farmers about the adverse effects associated with the practice of agricultural waste burning and how crop residues can be turned into products generating additional income for them (Egypt Today 2020). A recently approved US$200 million World Bank project includes awareness campaigns to better inform the public about the links between air pollution and related diseases. This is seen as crucial to reach a broader audience and maximize the impact of related measures.
In Morocco, the Qualit’Air program of the Fondation Mohammed VI pour la Protection de L’Environment launched its first driver-awareness campaigns in 2005 to highlight the air pollution caused by vehicles. It has since launched numerous initiatives in cooperation with private companies to educate drivers about global warming and air pollution in a bid to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the development of voluntary carbon-offsetting programs. In 2015, the foundation designed a platform to raise awareness among children about air pollution and global warming and also electrified rural schools with clean energy through the installation of solar panels (FM6E 2016).
Islamic Republic of Iran
In 2019, “Beating Air Pollution” was the theme of the United Nations World Environment Day. The “Mask Challenge” that aimed to promote awareness about air pollution has been endorsed by large parts of the population in Bahrain. Companies such as Aluminum Bahrain have publicly announced their support for efforts to tackle air pollution and protect the environment. The Indian embassy in Bahrain also organized a cycling event with the theme “Fight Air Pollution” in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP 2019).
In Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran, authorities report daily measures of air quality for various locations in the city and disseminate them via different channels, including billboards, mobile phone apps, and websitesa as well as through social media platforms (Heger and Sarraf 2018). The reports provide information on concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, and SO2 on an hourly basis, along with a forecast for the next three days and educational information to increase awareness of the definitions of air quality.
Bahrain
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