Solutions

Innovation methods

Data sources

SDG(s)

Sustainable Development Goal(s)

3Good health and well-being

11Sustainable cities and communities

13Climate action

Disclaimer:

Please be aware that the content herein has not been peer reviewed. It consists of personal reflections, insights, and learnings of the contributor(s). It may not be exhaustive, nor does it aim to be authoritative knowledge.

Title

Please provide a name for your action learning plan.

Solutions Catalogue to empower people to Tackle Air Pollution

Challenge statement

Challenge type: If you are working on multiple challenges, please indicate if this is your "big bet" or "exploratory" challenge. Please note: we ask you to only submit a maximum of 3 challenges - 1x Big Bet, 2x Exploratory. Each challenge must be submitted individually.

BIG BET

Challenge statement: What is your challenge? (Please answer in specific terms: "Our challenge is that...”.)

Can we effectively map out solutions to tackle air pollution in North Macedonia, integrating global insights while addressing local contexts and needs?

Background: What is the history of your challenge? What is causing or driving it? Who is involved? How does the current situation look like? What undesired effects does it produce?

The escalating threat of air pollution in North Macedonia poses a significant challenge to public health and well-being. Despite efforts, the country grapples with persistent pollution issues, impacting both urban and rural areas. Local governments, environmental agency, and communities are involved in addressing this issue, yet the complexity and multiplicity of pollution sources demand comprehensive strategies. The current situation is marked by a pressing need for coordinated action, as air pollution continues to detrimentally affect the populace and the environment. UNDP CO North Macedonia has already an active project on Tackling Air Pollution, and currently is working with 5 municipalities in the country.

Quantitative evidence: What (official) data sources do you have on this challenge that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge? You can add text, a link, or a picture.

Recent data from air quality monitoring stations across North Macedonia highlights the severity of the air pollution problem, with particulate matter levels exceeding recommended limits in many areas. These statistics underscore the urgency of finding effective solutions to mitigate pollution and safeguard public health.

Qualitative evidence: What weak signals have you recently spotted that characterizes its urgency? Please provide qualitative information that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge. You can add text, a link, or a picture.

There is a growing concern among citizens regarding the visible impacts of air pollution on their daily lives, such as respiratory issues and reduced outdoor activities. This challenges has been very dominant in the public discourse and in the media beyond the capital city of North Macedonia. Additionally, stakeholders report a lack of awareness about sustainable practices and technologies that could mitigate pollution, highlighting the need for comprehensive education and outreach efforts.

Value proposition: What added value or unique value proposition is your Accelerator Lab bringing to solving this challenge? Why is it your Lab that needs to work on this challenge and not other actors within UNDP, other stakeholders in the country respectively? Why is it worth investing resources to this challenge?

Three reasons: 1. The Acc Lab works closely with project team on Tackling Air Pollution at UNDP CO North Macedonia and is suggesting a different approach on how to learn and scale solutions that would reduce the air pollution. 2. Leveraging its experimental approach, the Acc Lab can test innovative solutions and strategies tailored to the unique challenges faced by North Macedonia. 3. By scooping global knowledge, engaging with both global and local expertise, the Acc Lab can facilitate the integration of best practices and technologies into actionable policies and initiatives.

Short “tweet” summary: We would like to tweet what you are working on, can you summarize your challenge in a maximum of 280 characters?

Solutions Catalogue ready! What can we do to tackle air pollution in North Macedonia: integrating global insights, local contexts, and community engagement for a cleaner, healthier future.

Challenge classification

Partners

Who are your top 5 partners for this challenge? Please submit from MOST to LEAST important and state Name, Sector and a brief description of the (intended) collaboration.

Please state the name of the partner:

University Goce Delcev - Stip, North Macedonia

What sector does our partner belong to?

Academia

Please provide a brief description of the collaboration.

The university will provide expertise support to review the solutions mapped, and in addition prepare the localized version on how this solutions can be applicable to the local context.

Is this a new and unusual partner for UNDP?

Learning questions

Learning question: What is your learning question for this challenge? What do you need to know or understand to work on your challenge statement?

How can we effectively translate global solutions and innovations into actionable strategies that address the specific needs and challenges of combating air pollution in North Macedonia?

To what stage(s) in the learning cycle does your learning question relate?

Test

Usage of methods: Relating to your choice above, how will you use your methods & tools for this learning question? What value do these add in answering your learning question?

We will learn from the solutions mapped globally and make local prototypes that can be

Existing data gaps: Relating to your choice above, what existing gaps in data or information do these new sources of data addressing? What value do these add in answering your learning question?

There are so many types of data in various forms and scattered in different media. We aim to create open data that will support various stakeholders to ack on the challenge.

Closing

Early leads to grow: Think about the possible grow phase for this challenge - who might benefit from your work on this challenge or who might be the champions in your country that you should inform or collaborate with early on to help you grow this challenge?

The project team has already been very actively engaging with local municipalities, the academia and the relevant national authorities. We will leverage their partnerships and increase the scope of the work by introducing new data that aims to encourage and empower various stakeholders in the system.

END OF ACTION LEARNING PLAN: Thank you! The form saves automatically and your submission has been recorded. You may now exit this window.

Innovation methods

Data sources

SDG(s)

Sustainable Development Goal(s)

3Good health and well-being

11Sustainable cities and communities

13Climate action

Comments

Action plan

Solutions

Posted by Ardita Zekiri

UNDP North Macedonia Accelerator Lab

Innovation methods

Data sources

SDG(s)

Sustainable Development Goal(s)

3Good health and well-being

11Sustainable cities and communities

13Climate action