The transport sector is one of the major sources of air pollution across African cities, posing serious health risks to urban populations and denying citizens the chance to breathe clean air.
The impact is severe, affecting well-being and contributing to climate change. In response, Africa is gradually implementing strategies to transform urban mobility and reduce emissions.
Under the Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy 2030, Africa aims to enhance fuel efficiency by 10 per cent and lower carbon dioxide intensity by 10 per cent by 2030.
The plan also seeks to build climate resilience by strengthening 2,000 kilometres of roads and reducing harmful pollutants by 12 per cent to improve overall air quality.
The continent also targets a 12 per cent reduction in harmful pollutants to improve air quality.
To promote sustainable practices, the continent will pursue eco-driving training for 1,000 drivers alongside other initiatives.
These initiatives are part of broader efforts to address the health and environmental consequences of transport-related pollution.
While speaking on Friday, the UN Environment Programme’s Jane Akumu raised concern over the growing health impact of transport-related air pollution in Africa, saying urgent and integrated interventions are needed.
Akumu said recent studies show strong evidence linking pollutants such as PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide and black carbon to dementia.
She noted that parts of North Africa and South Africa carry some of the highest death rates per 100,000 people attributable to transport-related emissions.
She cautioned against narrowly focused solutions, adding that single measures do not work.
“The thing that we can’t do is we can’t think about one exposure, one outcome, one intervention,” she said.
Akumu said there is an absence of health impact assessments in Africa and called for more studies.
“There is an opportunity for funders and government to invest in better data collection and research,” she said.
According to her, cleaner mobility has benefits, including cleaner air and health-promoting well-being. It also helps to combat climate change.
Cleaner mobility refers to forms of transportation that reduce negative impacts on the environment and human health compared to conventional options. It’s about making how people and goods move more sustainable and less polluting.
Akumu said cleaner mobility saves on oil imports and lowers operating costs for consumers, and it also helps to create jobs.
In her presentation, Texas A&M Transportation Institute researcher Haneen Khreis said transportation is an integral part of people’s daily lives, providing access to education, jobs, services, and goods.
“Our transportation choices and patterns are influenced by four interrelated factors: the land use and built environment, infrastructure, available modes, and emerging technologies or disruptors,” she said.
“These factors influence how we can or choose to move ourselves and goods. In turn, they affect exposures, lifestyles, and health outcomes.”
Despite the convenience and connectivity transportation offers, it comes with serious public health risks. Pollutants from vehicles, including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The World Health Organization conservatively estimates that transportation-related air pollution (TRAP) causes nearly 200,000 premature deaths across Africa each year.
These alarming figures underline that promoting cleaner mobility is not just an environmental goal—it is essential for protecting public health, reducing costs, and creating sustainable cities across the continent.
