Advocacy Workshop: Ensuring Action on Air Pollution at 4th UN HLM on NCDs

Date: 12th February, 2025 14:00 to 17:00

Location: Kigali Convention Centre, Global NCD Alliance Forum

Join us for an Advocacy Workshop focused on tackling air pollution at the upcoming 4th UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases. Don't miss this opportunity to make a difference and drive meaningful change. See you there!

Greetings from the Clean Air Fund, Global Climate and Health Alliance, Healthy India Alliance, HRIDAY, ACT+ Brazil, Union for International Cancer Control, The George Institute, World Heart Federation and NCD Alliance.

As part of the Global NCD Alliance Forum 2025 side events taking place on 12 February in Kigali, Rwanda, we are organising an advocacy workshop entitled “Ensuring Action on Air Pollution at the Fourth UNGA High-Level Meeting (HLM) on the Prevention and Control of NCDs” and we would like to invite you to participate.

Air pollution has overtaken tobacco as the world’s major risk factor for NCDs, now causing over 8 million avoidable premature deaths every year. The NCD community is most affected, with 4 in every 5 air pollution deaths being due to NCDs. Despite world leaders’ recognition of the toll of air pollution on health, more policies and investment for clean air are urgently needed – and will improve the lives of billions of people living with NCDs. This workshop scheduled for 12 February, 14:00-17:00 (local time) will convene the global NCD community in-person to discuss a common agenda and action plan to ensure that clean air becomes a higher health priority, including at the 4th UNGA HLM on NCDs by Heads of State and Government.

Participants will help identify specific steps to take at national, regional and global level pre- and post-HLM to accelerate action on air pollution as part of the NCD response. Please register here to join us.

In preparation for this in-person workshop, we are also hosting two virtual sessions to start developing the advocacy plan to be presented and finalised at the workshop.

• The first virtual session entitled "Setting the Scene – What we want to see on on air pollution in the 2025 political declaration on NCDs" is scheduled for 16 January, 14:00-15:30 CET will explore air pollution as one of the main risk factors for preventable NCD mortality and morbidity, and identify key advocacy asks towards the UN HLM on NCDs in 2025 and beyond. Register to attend here.
  

• The second virtual session entitled "Moving the Dial – How we accelerate action on air Pollution as part of the NCD response" is scheduled for 21 January, 14:00-15:30 CET will build on the first session, to identify key strategies to influence the policy processes in the lead up to the HLM on NCD 2025 to ensure that clear actions and commitments are made for clean air in the context of national NCD plans. Register to attend here.
  

We hope you will be able to join the virtual sessions in addition to the in-person workshop in Kigali. With the virtual sessions, we hope to capture insights and key messages early in the process and have a draft advocacy plan that can be finalised in Kigali during the in-person workshop.

We look forward to your participation in these strategic meetings.

Many thanks and best regards,
Toyyib O. Abdulkareem