Deadline: 31 May 2020
The Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs’ (OES) Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues at the U.S. Department of State (DOS), has announced the Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) for activities under the “Air Quality Management Community of Practice in East Africa” project.
The “Air Quality Management Community of Practice in East Africa” project intends to support the Regional Framework Agreements (RFA) on Air Pollution in Africa with a focus on East Africa. These RFA contained agreements on actionable targets to address air pollution in the following economic sectors: transport, industry and mining, energy, waste, vegetation fires, indoor air pollution, and urban planning and management. The 2008 Nairobi Agreement (The Eastern Africa Regional Framework Agreement on Air Pollution) was adopted by 11 states: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. This RFA will provide the grantee a preapproved and ready foundation on which to engage Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Progress under this RFA will spotlight action and set an example to propel two other RFAs across the continent to also take action:
- The 2009 Abidjan Agreement (The Central and Western Africa Regional Framework Agreement on Air Pollution): This agreement was adopted by 21 states and ECOWAS.
- The 2008 Southern Africa Regional Framework Agreement on Air Pollution (Lusaka Agreement): This agreement was adopted by the 14 countries in SADC.
Program Goals
The priority goal for Eastern Africa is to identify city-specific actions identified under the drafting process of Air Quality Management Plans (AQMPs) and connect those to RFA regional policies. The ability of the target cities to establish AQMPs will directly impact their ability to work with potential donors who would then take those policies forward to implementation. Although targeted on Eastern Africa, this project will tap expertise from the historic effort under the Air Pollution Network in Africa (APINA) and include new and emerging networks such as the African Group on Atmospheric Sciences (ANGA) based in Kenya and the National Association of Clean Air (NACA) in South Africa.
Goals for the project are the following:
- Platform for connecting technical staff and experts on Air Quality Management to establish peer-to-peer exchanges among key actors in African city administrations, national and international technical experts, science networks (e.g. ANGA/IGAC) and multilateral institutions such as UNEP, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank (AfDB), new concepts and approaches for measuring and monitoring air quality on the urban level are piloted and established. Through the exchanges, encourage cities to effectively apply for funding, enhance local capacities and establish an applicable data pool on air quality.
- Capacity strengthening and information awareness for Air Quality Management to provide high quality training to inform decisions and actions on air quality management (AQM) planning and implementation.
Activities
The project should include the following activities as applicable:
- Connect city AQM staff to each other and to experts: Enhance sustainability of air quality management in Africa by improving the ways in which practitioners can connect to and learn from each other in a community of practice. Provide city AQM practitioners with access to experts at the national and international level. The experts will be identified from national government, universities and scientific networks (e.g. ANGA) and other international institutions, to provide advice and suggest best practices in all aspects of AQM. This includes focusing on the following:
- monitoring air pollution and increasing public awareness of local air quality conditions;
- managing air pollution data for policy relevant analysis;
- developing emission inventories and source apportionment to understand key sources and track progress;
- assessing the health impacts, energy, agricultural or other economic benefits of air quality improvements;
- selecting policies and control strategies that are most effective in achieving country-specific goals;
- engaging stakeholders in a discussion of the various regulatory approaches that have been effective elsewhere and selecting the best options to meet local needs;
- identify best practices in sustained financing and maintenance of AQ programs;
- reducing open burning and improving waste management; and
- sharing best practices in AQ enforcement.
- The organization should host at least one regional workshop in Ethiopia and ensure that best practices are shared beyond the capital cities with Ethiopian secondary cities. Engaging with stakeholders and AQM staff from secondary cities in Ethiopia can help propel the Government of Ethiopia’s efforts to expand the impact of the Addis Ababa Air Quality Management Plan beyond the capital.
- Provide Quality Training Opportunities: Expanding access to high quality training on both the AQM hardware (equipment types, installation, maintenance etc.), and software (tools such as LEAP-IBC and data processing and analysis) to provide a framework for analyzing baseline data collected by low-or medium-cost sensors as well as on application of the Megacity templates. Organizations should consider using U.S. environmental technologies such as low- or medium-cost sensors. Organizations should consider hosting regional and/or country specific workshops.
- Customize Toolkits, Guidelines and frameworks for Air Quality Management Planning (AQMP): The U.S. EPA Megacity templates show “How to do it” in terms of the process involved, and the content to be included. The toolkit can be used and tailored/customized by secondary cities in selected African countries which have the window to better plan for AQM.
- Provide periodic information bulletin: this will enable continuous sharing of news and information on AQM in the cities involved. This can be in form of a periodic bulletin that is developed quarterly and distributed through an e-list serve that has subscriptions.
- Install at least two low-cost sensors in three Ethiopian Secondary Cities to help them begin collecting baseline data. Organizations should consider using U.S. environmental technologies.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $296,296
- Award Floor: $296,296
Expected Results
- Increased intergovernmental and/or regional collaboration and synergies to streamline efforts to tackle air pollution issues.
- Improved institutional capacity in managing air quality monitoring systems and understanding data to inform air quality management policies.
- Development, adoption, and/or implementation of focused air quality management policies as a result of this project.
- Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone precursor (NOx, VOCs, and CO) emissions reduced or avoided, if applicable.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is limited to U.S. non-profit/nongovernmental organizations subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code, foreign non-profit organizations, U.S. and foreign educational institutions, and public international organizations.
- Countries that may be eligible for funding under this award include: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=325927
