Conferences & Workshops

Air Sensors International Conference (ASIC), May, 2022, California

For the fourth year in a row, I was privileged to join the UNFCCC, annual climate change conference (COP 29), both as part of the technical delegation for the government of Uganda and as a keen advocate of advancing climate science using science diplomacy.

As with previous COP events, there were several highlights ranging from the negotiation rooms, side events and advocacy interests.

The withdrawal of Argentina's delegation just three days into COP29 was not only a major headline but served as an important reminder of the intricate links between domestic politics in individual member states and global agendas. More articles on Argenrtina's unceremonial withdrawal was published in several news outlets inclduing 

Similarly, another critical question was the potential uncertainties around climate policy priorities for the incoming US administration, especially given the major policy differences within the local political landscape.

In her remarks during a press event, the US Energy Secretary, Sec. Jennifer Granholm said, "Clean energy transition is happening no matter what happens in the White House. The global community will step up and fill any void in leadership". The tonne offered reassurance to the global climate community on the role everyone plays in tackling climate change as a shared problem.

I also gave a key presentation on the role of data, capacity and local leadership in Africa during the African Parliamentary Session on 

Strengthening Africa’s Climate Leadership, Unpacking NDC’s, Climate Finance and Resilience

My presentation highlighted four key points

Africa has the potential to provide scientific leadership on climate action

We can leverage emerging technologies to develop sustainable climate data solutions

Local leaders can/should champion community mobilisation on the climate agenda

Cross-regional collaborations through thematic regional communities of practice like the

 can advance meaningful multilateral partnerships for climate action

The session ended with the endorsement of the COP29 joint communique to the ministers by the African parliamentary delegation.


COP29, Baku, Azerbaijan

Cover photo: During a visit to the White House

I am thrilled and incredibly honoured to be nominated for the prestigious International Visitor's Leadership Programme (IVLP), hosted by the U.S State Department. This unique opportunity focuses on cultivating U.S-Africa relations, specifically on Climate Resilience and Health Security.

Meeting with Federal government officials at the State Department Building

As an advocate for environmental sustainability and improved public health, I believe that addressing global challenges requires collaboration and knowledge exchange. This IVLP provides a platform for emerging leaders to engage with experts, policymakers, and fellow participants from both the United States and Africa. By coming together, we can discuss strategies to tackle the pressing issues of climate change and health security.

At the National Institute for Health (NIH) headquarters

By fostering dialogue and building bridges between Africa and the United States, we can work towards strengthening collaborative efforts on climate change mitigation, sustainable development, and healthcare system improvements. I am particularly excited for the unique opportunity to share a platform with diverse experts in the United States, drawn from Federal government to the communities who are tackling the different aspects of climate disasters across the United States.

Meeting with the district amdinistration of the indigenous community in Tucson, Arizona

Spending time with an American family in Scottsdale, Arizona

My nomination for the IVLP's Cultivating U.S-Africa Relations on Climate and Health Security is a tremendous honor and opportunity, and a stepping stone in my journey to make meaningful contributions to addressing the global challenges of our time. My aim is to use this IVLP to deepen my understanding of the intricate relationship between climate change and health security, and the practical solutions that can be implemented in diverse communities.

Highlights from one of the engagements at the state department

Nominated for the U.S State Department Visitor's Programme

I was privileged to participate in the COP28 processes as an accredited party delegate from Uganda. This is my third time participating in the COP processes as an accredited party

At COP, I was following technology development and transfer as a core thematic area, in addition to co-leading several side sessions that sought to unpack the complex COP processes, as pathways to action.

I also supported several high-level plenary sessions including the Ministerial meeting on Urbanisation and Climate, the COP28 Presidency on technology graced by the UNEP Executive Director, and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) co-chaired by H.E John Keyy, the U.S Special Presidential Envoy on Climate. During the CCAC Ministerial, AirQo also delivered the first statement as a full non-state partner of the CCAC.

I was particularly honored to co-lead a session that hosted the Acting Assistant Secretary, and head of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs from the U.S Department of State. This is Part of our ongoing collaborations with the State Department on building Capacity for the communities of practice for air quality in Africa.

COP28, Dubai, Nov.-Dec, 2023

 brings together geoscientists from all over the world covering all disciplines of the earth, planetary, and space sciences, to provide a platform where professionals especially early career researchers, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geoscience.


This year's  EGU (EGU23) General Assembly was held between 23 and 28 April in Vienna, Austria, and welcomed over 18,831 registered attendees, with over 15,453 in-person participants from over 100 countries and over 3,000 joining online from over 100 countries. The assembly uniquely offered vast opportunities for early and mid-career scientists, with over 57% of the abstracts identified as contributions from Early Career Scientists (ECS).

Our paper (presented by one of the co-authors Daniel Ogenrwot, PhD student), on 

custom digital platforms for data management in resource-limited settings

 was one of the 16,357 presentations made in the 938 sessions.  In this paper, we present the case for a robust custom digital platform for managing IoT-based sensor networks for sustainable environmental monitoring in data-hungry cities. We particularly demonstrate the scalability of the 

, for managing large-scale low-cost sensor networks in African cities.

The EGU annual general assembly remains the largest and most prominent European geosciences event.

European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, April 2023, Vienna (Austria) 

Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress, June, 2022, Pretoria

Air quality resolution on regional cooperation

The sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6)

Advancing participatory air quality management for urban health in Lagos: Inaugural knowledge sharing and co-creation workshop, 2022, Lagos

South to South Collaborations, COP26 Glasgow, United Kingdom

CCAC and UNGA: Initial funding commitment for the Africa Clean Air Program

I was invited to participate in the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Ministerial held on the margins of the UN General Assembly. The CCAC Ministerial is an annual high-level meeting of ministers representing focal institutions of CCAC state partners, and heads of non-state partner institutions including International NGOs, intergovernmental organisations, and UN Agencies. I represented AirQo as a non-state partner since the first ministerial at COP28, in Dubai, in 2023. This year’s ministerial also comes against the backdrop of the recently adopted UNEA 6/10 resolution on regional cooperation for clean air for which AirQo was a key player. 

Our intervention acknowledged the incremental progress by the CCAC partners in tackling air pollution, particularly the recent adoption of the UNEA-6/10 resolution, in addition to highlighting how our broad-based collaboration through the CLEAN-Air Network, is advancing regional collaborations for clean air actions in African cities, as seen with the incredible success of this year’s CLEAN-Air Forum in Lagos which brought together over 80 policymakers and over 200 global experts from 31 countries. An excerpt of the AirQo intervention will be published on the CCAC website

Another key highlight of the ministerial was the launch of the funding for the Africa clean air programme announced by Dr Nkiruka Maduekwe, Director General of Nigeria’s National Council for Climate Change.

The Ministerial ended with the adoption of the New York "Now We Can: Supercharging Action on Super Pollutants" Communique with three commitments

Tackling super pollutants, with existing and cost-effective measures to help avoid the worst of the climate crisis and clean the air we breathe.

Working together, across both the public and private sectors and across all levels of government, to lower superpollutant emissions from key sectors.

Catalyzing climate finance to support action on super pollutants, e.g. including by integrating SLCP mitigation measures in the design of NDCs and urgently scaling up investments from all sources in this critical area.

For over seven days, several climate-related activities including meetings, conferences and workshops attracted a global audience. Cities are the engines of global economies and mayors often have to confront the choices, seen as a delicate balance between protecting livelihoods and conserving the environment.  A city like New York offers a unique forum to meaningfully interrogate the realities of climate in an urban context.

I had the privilege to directly participate in events at the NEST Climate Campus that sought to unpack some of the intricate climate issues including showcasing some of the progressive and green technological innovations.

UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week, New York, 2024

Peer learning visit to Kenya's atmospheric scientific community

Geo for Good Summit, September, 2019, California


In November 2022, governments civil society organisation and the private sector convened in Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt for the Annual UN Climate Change Conference ( Conference of Parties ). COP is the United Nations Highest decision-making platform on global commitments to tackling global climate change. COP27 set out to deliver action on ‘issues critical to addressing the climate emergency – from reducing greenhouse gas emissions, helping communities build resilience and adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change, to financing climate action and addressing loss and damage in developing countries’. More specifically, how local responses to growing climate change impacts can be strengthened.
The conference also sought to foster collaboration among the stakeholders to ensure a just transition to a net-zero economy which alleviates poverty and secures a sustainable future.



At the conference, I was part of the AirQo delegation and the broader Uganda delegation, and our participation centred on 4 strategic objectives:

Advocating for the integration of air pollution management in climate change action

Raising the profile of air quality within the climate change conversations in Africa

Making the case for climate technologies financing mechanisms for African countries.

Exploring new partnerships to facilitate scaling up of AirQo expansion agenda in African cities

I wore multiple hats, firstly as a thematic negotiator on Climate Technology Development and Transfer, and as a primary collaborator for the 

, a multi-city youth-focused engagement in 3 African cities of Cape Town, Accra, and Lagos, for ‘clean air and healthier public spaces for physical activity.

Opportunity for LDCs to develop and review Technology Needs Assessment, including broadening the scope to include ICT. Adopting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as an enabler for adaptation, mitigation, monitoring and reporting, and more broadly cl

Increase in climate technology financing for least developed countries, among many others

 COP27 presented an excellent opportunity to establish bilateral contacts with different stakeholder groups globally.

The biggest highlight for COP27 was the financial commitment for loss and damage arising from climate disasters

See here for more details on AirQo's participation at COP27

COP27, November, 2022, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

Air quality experts convene to discuss air pollution and health in East Africa

Cover photo: Participants at the workshop (Credit: HEI)

Experts on air pollution across East Africa have gathered in Nairobi, Kenya for a high-level meeting to discuss strategies for strengthening expertise on air pollution and health in the region. The workshop brought together an extensive range of stakeholders across East Africa including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, in addition to other stakeholder interests from South Africa, India, the U.K, and U.S.A. The stakeholders represented included national and regional non-profit groups and bi- and multi-lateral organizations, healthcare practitioners, professional societies, ministries, and research institutes, among others.

The goals of the workshop were twofold: 1) ‘ reviewing the current data and evidence on air quality and associated health effects in the region and their interlinkage to current policy debate and actions’, and 2) concrete strategies for collaboration and strengthening technical expertise on air pollution and health in East Africa’.

At the meeting, the experts discussed the emerging evidence on air pollution and health in the region, and the implications for policy and action. My talk particularly focused on ‘advances in adapting low-cost sensors for sustainable air quality monitoring and evidence-informed action in African cities’ based on experiences from 

’. One of the meeting outcomes was consensus on strategies for collaboration and strengthening technical expertise on air pollution and health in East Africa. Targeted interventions facilitated by collecting local air quality data was identified as a vital first step towards countering the high levels of air pollution as well as significant health impacts from both outdoor and household air pollution.

The 3-day workshop was convened by the Health Effects Institute, in partnership with the Stockholm Environment Institute-Africa Centre (SEI Africa), World Resources Institute (WRI Africa), Eastern Africa GEO Health Hub (Kenya), and AirQo, organized the workshop held at the Sarova Panafric Hotel, Nairobi.

The Workshop resources can be accessed through the 

Air pollution and health in East Africa

 brought together communities of practice in Africa to promote knowledge sharing, collaborations and multi-regional partnerships while particularly emphasizing the need to strengthen regional networks for sustained interventions.

The Lagos forum followed the successful inaugural convening in Kampala, 2023, and sought to further collective efforts in advancing collaborations and multi-regional partnerships for clean air actions in African cities. The forum was configured to achieve the following objectives

Map the policy landscape across Africa and data needs to advance evidence-informed policy development for air quality management

Take stock of participatory air quality initiatives across African cities against the Kampala meeting commitments

Define the data ecosystem and best practices for utilising low-cost air quality sensor networks and digital solutions in the African contexts

Foster knowledge-sharing and stakeholder collaborations to advance the science-policy interface and public awareness on air quality

Explore sustainable funding avenues for air quality initiatives in African cities

For the second year in a row, I was honoured to lead the coordination efforts working with a diverse team of esteemed global experts to deliver the CLEAN-Air Forum. 

The forum brought together over 80 policymakers in addition to over 230 global experts. This year's forum demonstrated the value of transdisciplinary collaborations and multi-regional partnerships for clean air actions.

CLEAN-Air Forum, Lagos, 2024

Advancing Climate and Health in Africa: the 

I presented at the prestigious Chapman conference, hosted by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) that brought together experts, researchers, and policymakers from diverse backgrounds committed to addressing the nexus issues of climate and health in Africa.

From the impact of extreme weather events on vulnerable communities to the role of climate change in the spread of infectious diseases, the conference offered valuable insights into the continent's specific challenges and ongoing research interventions across different contexts.

More importantly, the meeting highlighted the different funding mechanisms to support research and interventions on resilience, adaptation strategies, while recognising the value of integrating local and indigenous knowledge and expertise for developing effective climate and health policies.

My talk on the theme of climate data focused on ‘adapting low-cost sensor data for modelling and health impact studies in Africa’ which underscored the need for prioritising investments in data infrastructure across different spheres of climate action, while building capacity for data integration to support action.

Engaging in discussions with experts from diverse disciplines opened new avenues for collaboration and knowledge exchange. These connections are invaluable for fostering interdisciplinary research and amplifying the impact of collective efforts in addressing climate change and its health implications in Africa.


AGU Chapman on Climate and Health for Africa, Washington, D.C, June, 2023

Championing Livable Urban Environments through African Networks for Air (CLEAN-Air Africa): Launchpad for regional collaborations in Africa

The V.C Makerere University, Kampala Lord Mayor, and U.S Ambassador Rep. accompanied by University and city leaders (Photo: AirQo)

Between April 3rd and 5th 2023, the AirQo Project of Makerere University hosted the CLEAN-Air workshop in Kampala, Uganda. The workshop was hosted in partnership with convening partners, including the Air Quality Monitoring Research Group (AQMRG) from the University of Lagos and Urban Better Lab Innovation Africa, University of Pretoria, Kampala Capital City Authority, Wold Resources Insitute, Stockholm Environment Insitute, and the National Environment Management Authority, the Health Effects Institute (HEI).

E.D National Environment Management Authority openng the CLEAN-Air Workshop (Photo credit: AirQo)

This workshop brought together air quality stakeholders and researchers from over 16 cities in Africa, 

and I was honoured to chair the scientific and organising committee for the CLEAN-Air workshop

increase its members’ understanding of low-cost air quality sensor networks and digital solutions as new approaches for air quality management in the African cities; foster city-city and policy-research collaborations and increase awareness of contextual issues of air quality for better health outcomes’

Some of the stakeholders at the collocation site at Makerere University head of the plenaries on day 2.

A light moment with the guests (Eng. Asiimwe J. & Eng. Asiimwe C) during the CLEAN-Air launch

At the engagement, the AirQo Project launched Africa’s first air-quality mobile App that enables an individual to access with ease air quality information from any part of monitored spaces in Africa.

U.S Embassy Kampala Rep. giving a keynote during the launch event of CLEAN-Air. (photo credit: AirQo)

The CLEAN-Air Africa network will serve as a ‘

platform for Africa-led collaborations and partnerships to foster research and sustainable interventions in air quality management to achieve cleaner air across the continent

’, and could turn around Africa’s capacity and approaches to managing its air quality. Read more details about the CLEAN-Air launch from the 

CLEAN-Air Africa Workshop and Launch, April, 2023, Kampala

CAMS-Net general meeting and air quality conference, Kigali, 2023

Cover photo: Conference participants at the CMU Africa Campus (Credit: Westervelt group)

The conference happened between 7-10th March and also served as the CAMS-Net and Afriqair annual general meeting. 

 Clean Air Monitoring and Solutions Network

 is a project aimed at 'creating an international “network of networks” to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and data in order to improve the usage and application of low-cost sensor air quality data'. CAMS-Net encompasses various networks from different parts of the world.

The conference followed a single-track format, enabling focused and intimate discussions on crucial air quality research matters specific to the African continent. I had the privilege of serving on the scientific and technical committee, which was responsible for curating the program and selecting speakers who would effectively convey the scientific vision of the conveening

Side meeting with OpenAQ to discuss the shared vision for open data sharing.

The conference was a single-tract conference with intimate discussions on key air quality research issues on the continent. I served as part of the scientific and technical committee for the conference, charged with puting together the workshop programme and speakers to deliver the sientific vision of the meeting.

On the sidelines, it was an opportunity to connect with different participants in person for the first time.