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Did You Know: In 2020, Ella Kissi-Debrah became the first person in the world to have air pollution recorded as the cause of death. She was nine at the time of her death.
Welcome to my Public Health Thought Leadership Series, where I have been discussing the theme, “The Climate Crisis Is a Health Crisis”, with experts across diverse public health fields.
In my last blog, I spoke with a Nigerian public health physician about the profound health impact of air pollution in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities. The revelations were both shocking and distressing.
As a journalist whose writing is centered on the principles of solutions journalism, it was out of character for me to emphasize problems alone. But it is also important to have a balanced narrative, showing the entire impact of climate change—the good and the bad.
In today’s post, I will discuss solutions primarily focusing on the opportunity to build healthy cities. To illustrate these ideas, I’ll use Lagos, Africa’s most populated urban area, as a case study.
As a journalist, one of my regular questions to climate experts and advocates revolves around their unfiltered opinion on the compatibility of Nigeria’s continued fossil fuel investment with its net-zero pledge—net zero is the commitment by governments to tackle carbon emissions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels; exceeding this threshold puts the world at risk of severe climate change impacts. It is essential to recognize that new fossil fuel investments do not align with the goals of this international treaty.
Despite the potential risks associated with fossil fuels, questions arise about why the Nigerian government invested $3 billion in a new oil drilling project in 2022, just one year after pledging to reach net-zero emissions by 2060 at the United Nations climate change conference in Glasgow.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels; exceeding this threshold puts the world at risk of severe climate change impacts. It is essential to recognize that new fossil fuel investments do not align with the goals of this international treaty.
Despite the potential risks associated with fossil fuels, questions arise about why the Nigerian government invested $3 billion in a new oil drilling project in 2022, just one year after pledging to reach net-zero emissions by 2060 at the United Nations climate change conference in Glasgow.
In Nigeria, there is a popular argument that oil will drive the country’s development. This seems plausible, considering that oil accounts for up to 90% of the country’s export and contributes significantly to its GDP.
However, in recent times the demand for Nigeria’s oil has been on the decline. This poses a challenge to the sustainability of relying heavily on oil for economic growth, as it is contingent on foreign buyers—between 2018 and 2021, over 75% of crude oil produced in Nigeria was exported.
Additionally, proponents of this argument overlook the financial toll of climate-induced environmental disasters. Nigeria is estimated to be losing $100 billion annually to climate change, and this could rise to $460 billion per annum (6-30% of projected GDP) by 2030.
In contrast, embracing clean energy sources and environmentally healthy practices could potentially generate revenue of up to $5.7 billion by 2030.
There are several definitions of what a healthy city means. Dr. Tollulah Oni, a Nigerian urban epidemiologist whose work is centered around major African cities (including Lagos), defines it as one where the elements of the public space proactively promote health and do so in the most equitable and inclusive way.
When defining healthy cities, the focus is on the measures taken toward achieving a healthy environment rather than the final outcome.
Lagos is a densely populated African city and Nigeria’s largest city. As of 2022, it is estimated that Lagos has contributed 26.7% of Nigeria’s GDP, the highest of any state in the country.
Like other Nigerian cities, Lagos suffers from an unhealthy dependence on fossil fuels, particularly in the transport sector. In 2022, the city recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 36.1µg/m³, over three times higher than the WHO’s recommended annual mean concentration of 10 μg/m3.
In 2019, ambient air pollution in Lagos resulted in illness and premature deaths, leading to an estimated 2.1% ($2.1 billion) decrease in the city’s GDP due to reduced workplace productivity. During this year, air pollution was responsible for more deaths (12.4%) than diseases like malaria (12%) and HIV/AIDS (5.2%).
If no significant action is taken to address air pollution, the projected economic cost of illness and premature mortality among the workforce is expected to increase by 60% between 2019 and 2040.
The catastrophic impact of climate change significantly strains our environment and contributes to health inequalities.
To safeguard the health of its residents, cities must prioritize climate resilience as a fundamental aspect of their urban development plans, given the significant link between climate and health hazards.
So how does air pollution fit into this narrative?
Both air pollution and climate change stem largely from burning fossil fuels, implying that many of their solutions are similar. So efforts made to reduce air pollution will also be beneficial to mitigate climate change.
By implementing strategies to mitigate air pollution and climate change, Lagos has a tremendous opportunity to save over $1.7 billion in 2040, unlocking numerous health and economic benefits for its residents. Also, a healthy environment is vital to harness the full potential of the city’s vibrant young population. More than 50% of the 15 million residents of the city are under 25 year old, and this young population contribute positively to the workforce.
In her work, Oni emphasizes the need to include the majority demographic in the decision-making process when developing urban infrastructures. In the case of Lagos, young people are the dominant population.
Here are some of the main takeaways from Oni’s work as it concerns building a healthy Lagos:
It might not be the most convenient decision in the short term, but embracing the transition away from polluting fuels offers substantial benefits to both public health and the economy.
In the case of Lagos, the choices made today will define whether the city will realize its economic potential or become a cautionary tale.
The mission of the Boston Congress of Public Health Thought Leadership for Public Health Fellowship (BCPH Fellowship) seeks to:
It is guided by an overall vision to provide a platform, training, and support network for the next generation of public health thought leaders and public scholars to explore and grow their voice.
