Air Aware: A Journey of Youth-Led Action for Clean Air and Environmental Justice in Johannesburg

The Air Aware campaign, led by Youth@SAIIA as part of the global Breathe Cities initiative, focuses on empowering youth aged 13–25 in South Africa to advocate for clean air. The program utilizes a structured journey including 'Train-the-Trainers' workshops, the appointment of Youth Air Champions (YACs) who implement community-specific campaigns, and engagement with policy frameworks like the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 2004. Key activities included mapping air pollution hotspots in Soweto, linking air quality to biodiversity in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, and digital campaigns connecting plastic waste to air pollution. The initiative aims to culminate in a Youth-Led Conference on Air Pollution Policy and Implementation to integrate youth lived experiences into the City of Johannesburg's air quality governance.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2024). Air Aware: A Journey of Youth-Led Action for Clean Air and Environmental Justice in Johannesburg. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Air-Aware-Journey-Guide.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Air Aware: A Journey of Youth-Led Action for Clean Air and Environmental Justice in Johannesburg. 2024. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Air-Aware-Journey-Guide.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Air Aware: A Journey of Youth-Led Action for Clean Air and Environmental Justice in Johannesburg |date=2024 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Air-Aware-Journey-Guide.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2024air, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Air Aware: A Journey of Youth-Led Action for Clean Air and Environmental Justice in Johannesburg}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2024}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Air-Aware-Journey-Guide.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }