By Sara Ben Abdallah | Campaigner & Community Mobilizer Programme
The Air Quality project aims to address the severe air pollution crisis in the MENA region, particularly in countries like Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Iraq, where fossil fuel emissions and industrial activities are major contributors to harmful pollutants. In addition to these heavy emission sources, the crisis is deepening due to the lack of reliable and accessible air quality data in the region, which makes it difficult to assess the true quality of air that communities are breathing.
The project focuses on empowering local communities by providing them with real-time air quality data through the installation of air quality monitors, enabling them to understand and advocate for cleaner air. By raising awareness about the health impacts of air pollution and promoting transparency in air quality data, the campaign seeks to mobilize communities and demand accountability from governments and industries.
The ultimate goal is to foster a regional movement for social justice around the right to breathe clean air, ensuring that affected communities can take informed actions to protect their health and the environment. This project is already being implemented with two local communities in Tunisia and Morocco by providing them with a number of air quality monitors, with plans to extend to other countries.
Community Clean Air Monitoring – Kenitra, MoroccoBuilding on previous air quality advocacy, Greenpeace MENA installed seven low-cost air quality monitors in Kenitra, a city heavily affected by "black dust" pollution. In collaboration with the Clean Air Unit, four community members were trained in air quality data collection and interpretation, supporting long-term sustainability. The initiative also led to the launch of a public, real-time air quality dashboard, enabling accessible data for communities, media, and advocacy. Community members are now equipped to independently monitor air pollution and produce evidence-based reports to support clean air advocacy and environmental accountability.
Cross-Border Clean Air Graffiti Project
In 2025, Greenpeace MENA launched a first-of-its-kind cross-border graffiti initiative to spotlight the air pollution crisis and the right to clean air under #AirWeShare. The project brought together artists, activists, and local communities to create four murals across Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco, which together form a unified message: "We Want Clean Air." Beyond public art, the initiative served as a mobilization tool, connecting communities across borders and amplifying collective demands for environmental accountability and clean air. #AirWeShare – JOIN THE MURAL MOVEMENT was launched to extend the campaign's brand presence and deepen audience engagement across the countries. The activation encouraged communities to interact with the murals by visiting the sites, capturing creative content, and sharing their voices under the campaign hashtag to become part of the #AirWeShare narrative.
The competition received submissions from all four countries, reinforcing the campaign's cross-border identity and regional relevance. Eight winners were announced, further amplifying #AirWeShare as a bold, youth-driven brand championing the right to clean air across MENA.
We all breathe the same air. Now, we're bringing it back to life.
Greenpeace MENA, in collaboration with Phenomena and T. Durden, has launched an innovative regional campaign advocating for Clean Air. Four graffiti artists from Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, and Lebanon have come together for the first-ever cross-border graffiti project, transforming walls from Koura to Basra, Kenitra, and Gabes into open-air canvases for change. #AirWeShare!
AP Community Campaign 2026
Building on this momentum, the AP Community Campaign is working toward generating over a year of continuous data from our 7 air quality monitors, releasing the Black Dust report, producing at least one community-collaborated data report, and implementing a Clean Air March led by community members.
This year, we successfully launched the Black Dust report in collaboration with our partner, Oxygène Association for Health and Environment, through a joint social media push that generated significant community and media attention. We also amplified the key findings of the 2025 IQAir air quality report on September 7th, marking Clean Air Day for Blue Skies, using the moment to reinforce our campaign's message and reach new audiences.
The campaign has faced some setbacks along the way.
During Q2, we struggled to renew the internet subscription for 3 of our monitors, resulting in the loss of a significant amount of data a gap that now threatens our goal of publishing a full data report by the end of the year.
Separately, the floods, elections, and AFCON tournament that all took place across Q1 2026 delayed our plans to implement the Clean Air March.
Our partner is still working to secure the necessary permit from local authorities, and the event risks cancellation if that clearance isn't confirmed by the end of October.
By Sara Ben Abdallah | Campaigner & Community Mobilizer Programme
By Youssef Faite | Digital Fundraising Specialist
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