Clean Air Report Ghana

Pennies for Clean Air, Billions for Fossil Fuels

New Narratives and Joy FM Season 2 Episode 6

Air pollution kills an estimated 28,000 Ghanaians every year — and costs the country up to $2.8 billion in lost productivity. Yet, as the crisis deepens, global funding for clean air is falling.

In this episode of Clean Air Report Ghana on Joy 99.7 FM, host Michael Asharley asks a critical question: why is the world investing less in saving the air we breathe? He breaks down the latest State of Global Air Quality Funding Report, which reveals that support for outdoor air quality dropped by 20%, while projects prolonging fossil fuels more than doubled to $9.5 billion.

Michael speaks with Desmond Appiah, Ghana Lead for the Clean Air Fund, about what this funding decline means for Ghana’s progress, the structural barriers that stall interventions, and the innovative financing models that could keep clean air efforts alive even when donor priorities shift.

From dwindling global aid to the search for local solutions, this episode explores how Ghana — and Africa — can keep breathing hope into the fight for clean air.

Clean Air Report Ghana is a collaboration between New Narratives and leading Ghanaian newsrooms. Funding is provided by the Clean Air Fund which had no say in the reporting.