On Saturday, 28 June, the City of Johannesburg, in collaboration with the pioneering Breathe Cities initiative, hosted the #PauseAndBreathe marketing campaign throughout the town and with a flagship Hike for the Environment at Kloofendal Nature Reserve in Roodepoort.
Even as a chilly entrance gripped Joburg, the solar broke by to heat residents who gathered to pause, breathe and take a collective stand for cleaner air.
The Hike for the Environment shaped a part of Youth Month celebrations and included a guided nature stroll, youth-led environmental displays and interactive studying experiences.
Among the 200 attendees have been representatives from Pikitup; scholar volunteers from the University of Johannesburg; South African Institute of International Affairs air high quality youth ambassadors; the Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment; ward councillors; members of the Johannesburg Junior Council; and the Junior MMC for Environment.
Attendees confirmed sturdy group curiosity in air high quality points, and the dialog gained momentum on-line as individuals shared photographs and messages utilizing #PauseAndBreathe, #CleanAirJozi and #JoburgCares to amplify the decision for speedy motion.
At 12pm, individuals at Kloofendal paused mindfully to point out assist for clear air for all Joburgers.
All music and exercise stopped for a short second, and respiration coach Marj Murray of Breathwork Africa led a guided respiration train. Across the town, residents additionally joined in, at dwelling with household, at work or outdoor, sharing reflections and pictures on-line.
In the lead-up to the day, Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero stated, “Air air pollution isn’t just a worldwide environmental concern – it’s a public well being emergency. In Johannesburg, we witness its results most sharply in the course of the winter months, particularly in our most susceptible communities. As Executive Mayor, I’m dedicated to mobilising the complete assets of the town to take daring, decisive motion that may clear our air, shield our well being and safe a greater high quality of life for each resident.”
Johannesburg MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services Jack Sekwaila, who took half within the Kloofendal occasion, stated: “This day is about accountability – dealing with the environmental challenges head-on and standing collectively to provide you with options that aren’t solely sustainable, however are simply, inclusive and empowering. We should work collectively as residents to section out dangerous practices and undertake cleaner applied sciences and put individuals’s well being first.”
Everest mountaineer and expedition chief Sibusiso Vilane supported the marketing campaign and shared on X, “I absolutely assist the #PauseAndBreathe marketing campaign for #CleanAirJozi. Clean air is crucial for all life, all over the place. It is the breath of our existence, foundational to our well being, ecological stability and well-being.”
The Kloofendal occasion additionally served because the official launch of a brand new polling report supported by the City of Johannesburg and Breathe Cities: Defining a Clean Air Zone for Johannesburg. According to the report, 92% of surveyed Joburg residents are involved about air high quality, and 78% of individuals dwelling with sicknesses consider their situations are linked to the standard of the air they breathe.
Johannesburg is one in all 14 cities supported by Breathe Cities, a programme delivered by the Clean Air Fund, C40 Cities and Bloomberg Philanthropies to assist cities scale back air air pollution by data-driven methods and group collaboration. As a part of Breathe Cities, the town has reaffirmed its dedication to implementing air high quality options and persevering with public engagement.
#PauseAndBreathe is greater than a one-day activation.
It marks the beginning of an ongoing programme of actions and consciousness campaigns by the City of Johannesburg to enhance air high quality and contain residents in long-term change.
Three key initiatives are already underway:
- A brand new research will determine the primary sources of air air pollution and spotlight which areas of Johannesburg are most uncovered. This will assist the town design smarter, extra centered interventions.
- South Africa’s first real-world car emissions testing marketing campaign begins in July. Focusing on the transport sector, it can assess Joburg’s car fleet and determine the varieties of automobiles and areas answerable for the very best emissions. The findings will inform future coverage to cut back transport-related air pollution.
- A well being danger evaluation will quantify the influence of air air pollution on residents. It will present clearer hyperlinks between air high quality and public well being and assist stronger actions to guard communities.
Residents can study extra about clear air initiatives and methods to get entangled by following the town’s social media pages and official website.
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