COP drives global air quality collaborations

Shahan Salim, a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences, continues to make strides in advancing air quality research and technology through his participation at the United Nations climate change negotiations, known as COP.

Since attending COP28 in Dubai as part of the University of Waterloo’s Climate Institute delegation, Salim is actively collaborating with international partners that he met there to secure funding for innovative air quality monitoring solutions. These partnerships focus on scaling his platform’s impact, combining global expertise to address the pressing challenges of air pollution and health equity in underserved communities.

This year, as part of the Government of Canada’s delegation attending COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Salim hosted a session on "Leveraging Digital Tools for Public Health Monitoring of Adverse Health Outcomes Linked to Climate Change" at the Canada Pavilion. Salim is working on a groundbreaking platform co-designed with UNICEF in Mongolia that leverages low-cost air quality sensors to provide vulnerable populations an early warning system (EWS).

Shahan Salim hosts a session during COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. 

This technology empowers low-income communities by delivering early warning data on harmful pollutants, enabling timely interventions to reduce exposure and health risks. By addressing a significant gap in air quality monitoring, the platform enhances data accessibility for underserved communities, increasing protection for vulnerable groups like the elderly and children, who are particularly susceptible to respiratory and cardiovascular issues caused by poor air quality.

Internationally, COP29 drew widespread criticism, both for its finance deal and for the political controversies surrounding the host country. Despite this, Salim highlights that community actors and working groups are forging connections beyond the focus on high-level international discussions and these connections are important in leveraging global efforts to advance climate action.

“At COP 28, I had the opportunity to meet collaborators who are equally passionate about using technology to tackle environmental health challenges,” Salim explains. “Those discussions laid the foundation for joint funding applications to expand the reach of this work.”

The platform Salim is developing integrates real-time air quality dashboards and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide an early warning system for health risks associated with air quality in low-resource settings. By combining expertise from the University of Waterloo’s UbiLab, led by the School of Public Health Sciences’ Dr. Plinio Morita, with international engineering and public health specialists, the project is looking to expand to other low-income regions, including Pakistan and India. Notably, the team is exploring AI applications to estimate air quality in areas without sensors, further extending the impact of their innovation.

“Air pollution affects millions, but accessible, low-cost data can transform how we respond,” Salim says. “The opportunities available for climate action at COP meetings go beyond the final high-level international agreements; much can be accomplished by connecting like-minded communities and researchers.”

At COP 29 in Baku, Salim continued to advocate for the intersections of health and adaptation, participating in dialogues on air pollution’s role in climate resilience. His work aligns with the growing emphasis on leveraging technology for sustainable development and health equity. Reflecting on his journey, Salim shares, “The support from the Waterloo Climate Institute has been pivotal. It’s more than attending these global events — it’s about turning opportunities into meaningful change for vulnerable communities.”

Looking ahead, Salim aims to further expand his research and implementation efforts, building on the momentum gained from his participation in these international forums. By continuing to bridge academia, technology, and public health, he hopes to create a lasting impact on the communities most affected by air pollution.

Find out more about Shahan Salim’s research by visiting his research profile. Find out more about the Waterloo Climate Institute by visiting their website.

Photo credit: Clean Resource Innovation Network