A first-of-its-kind fund providing grants for air pollution monitors in countries with low air quality data has been set up by a research institute with a $1.5 million philanthropic gift. While the news has been welcomed, some question where the government investment is for such a significant health and climate issue.
The EPIC Air Quality Fund was launched last month by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, or EPIC, with a $1.5 million grant from U.S.-based social enterprise Open Philanthropy. It aims to fund local groups and organizations to install air quality monitors and provide communities with open data on air pollution that can then be used to push for high-level action to improve air quality.
“[Air pollution] has a much stronger impact on life expectancy than HIV or malaria so there should be a lot more attention on it,” said Achim Haug, founder and CEO of Airgradient, a Thailand-based air quality monitoring company that shares open-source hardware design for monitors.
About the author
Rebecca L. Root
Rebecca L. Root is a freelance reporter for Devex based in Bangkok. Previously senior associate & reporter, she produced news stories, video, and podcasts as well as partnership content. She has a background in finance, travel, and global development journalism and has written for a variety of publications while living and working in Bangkok, New York, London, and Barcelona.
