Who we are
Breathe Cities is an initiative delivered by Clean Air Fund, C40 Cities and Bloomberg Philanthropies. We support cities around the world to cut their air pollution and climate emissions.
Clean Air Fund is a global philanthropic organisation that works with governments, funders, businesses and campaigners to deliver clean air for all. The foundation funds and partners with organisations that promote air quality data, build public demand for clean air and drive policy change.
C40 is a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using an inclusive, science-based and collaborative approach to cut their fair share of emissions in half by 2030, help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C, and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities.
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organisation focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: the arts, education, environment, government innovation, and public health.
From “Breathe London” to “Breathe Cities”: a global scale up
Launched in 2018, the Breathe London pilot combined an innovative network of lower-cost and mobile monitors with locally delivered grassroot campaigns to build awareness of air pollution and support the mayor’s ambitious air quality agenda. The project expanded in 2021 and continues to support communities across London to better understand local air quality, with over 400 lower cost sensors delivering hyperlocal data across the capital.
Our history
How it grew
At COP26 in 2021, London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, called for the creation of Breathe Cities to build on the success of Breathe London to help more cities address the global air pollution crisis.
The initiative harnesses existing efforts by Bloomberg Philanthropies and Clean Air Fund to track air pollution and shape public advocacy and policy measures to reduce pollution in cities. It also utilises C40’s efforts to increase global commitments to clean air, support mayors in implementing ambitious air quality actions, and create forums for mayors and city staff to scale solutions.
