This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Lowering air pollution in Africa has many economic benefits, according to new research by environmental scientists Chris Malley, Kevin Hicks and Caroline Sawe. They reflect on two reports that set out the practical ways that African countries can cut air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions at the same time, while saving billions through lower health care costs, fewer days lost to illness and greater productivity.
The 2025 State of Global Air report analyzed air quality and its health impacts in countries around the world in 2023. It shows that nearly 1 million people died prematurely across sub-Saharan Africa in 2023 because of the polluted air they breathed. This makes air pollution the second-largest risk to public health across Africa, behind only malnutrition.
Generally, air pollution's health impacts are felt mostly by older adults and children. The same report says that only 12% of all air pollution deaths globally occur in sub-Saharan Africa, but over half of all air pollution deaths among children occur on the continent. Most human-made air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa comes from homes that use wood, charcoal and other polluting fuels for cooking.
The rest is from industries, electricity production, transportation, agriculture and waste management. These major air pollution sources are also the largest sources of greenhouse gases, which cause climate change. This means that tackling climate change globally can improve public health locally.
Our first piece of research, "Hidden Assets: The Economic and Health Case for Climate and Clean Air Action," evaluates a package of 25 proven solutions for reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. These solutions span key economic sectors like energy and fossil fuel systems, industry, transportation, agriculture and food systems, residential cooking and heating, and waste management. The findings show that in parts of southern Africa, every dollar spent cutting pollution could deliver about $26 in economic benefits.
This is calculated by comparing how much it costs to cut pollution with the estimated monetary value of the damage those measures could prevent. For context, childhood vaccination could deliver about $16 in economic benefits for every dollar spent. Putting all 25 pollution-cutting actions into practice across southern Africa would cost about $11 billion by 2035, but the benefits could far outweigh the costs.
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