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Session Type: Panel

Theme: 1. Human-Nature-Technology: Interactions and Responses
Panel

Air Pollution: Crossed Perspectives on Asian and African Cities

Friday, June 13, 2025
09:00 - 10:45 GMT
Location: LOS-114

 

Air pollution is a global environmental and health problem. Air pollution is involved in a large range of preventable diseases, such as asthma, cardiovascular pathologies and some types of cancer (Pope et al., 2002). According to WHO (2016), it plays a direct role in 4.2 million death worldwide each year. Urban dwellers in the Global South bear most this burden: Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) countries account for 90 % of the mortality associated with ambient air pollution. Current trends and forecasts are not encouraging: while progress is being made at fast pace in some emerging countries such as China, the situation is worsening in a large majority of cities in Africa, South Asia and South East Asia.

 

This situation results from the conjunction of rapid population growth, economic development and poorly managed urbanization (GBD 2018). Poorly regulated polluting industries, poorly monitored construction activities, the common use of fuel-based power generators, waste incineration in the open air and, in some cases, agricultural burnings in rural hinterland, also contribute to ambient air pollution in LMIC cities (MacGranahan and Murray 2003, Schwela 2012). In addition to polluting indoor air, the burning of wood and charcoal for household cooking also contributes to the degradation of ambient air.

 

Because of its heavy adverse health effects, the toll of air pollution on the economy is considerable: the World Bank estimates the cost of premature mortality alone to 7% of GDP for Asia, and 4% for Africa every year (including indoor air pollution – World Bank, 2016).

By comparing different examples taken from India, Senegal and Kenya, this panel aims at identify and explain the technical, social and political processes that negatively or positively influence the management of air pollution in Africa and Asia.

Panel supported by: French National Research Agency through the programme Global SMOG: https://www.globalsmog.org/

 

Presentations:

  • 09:00 - 10:45 GMT
    Lead in the air? Recycling and contamination at Sebikotane (Senegal)

    Presenter: Yann-Philippe TASTEVIN – CNRS

  • 09:00 - 10:45 GMT
    Lust for Lead and Dust: The Controversial Business of Recycling Used Batteries in an Unequal World

    Presenter: Rémi de Bercegol – CNRS

    Co-Presenter: Yann Philippe Tastevin – CNRS and Université Cheikh Anta Diop

  • 09:00 - 10:45 GMT
    Mboro à l’épreuve de la Pollution Atmosphérique des Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS): Crise de Gouvernance et Justice Environnementale en Débat

    Presenter: Khadim Mbow – Université Paris Cité/CNRS/CERMES3

  • 09:00 - 10:45 GMT
    How to bind an air pollution heavyweight? Regulating the cement industry in West Africa

    Presenter: Renaud Hourcade – CNRS