Rahim  Abas  Kiobya  Goalkeeper

Goalkeeper and 2018 Youth Action Accelerator participant Rahim Abas Kiobya understands the urgency of climate action for the entire plant and wants to do something about it. Rahim is the co-founder and executive officer of Geospatial Tanzania and its initiative Data for Local Impact. In Tanzania, climate change is taking its toll. Rahim co-founded Geospatial Tanzania in 2017 to gather data from health organizations and dig into the relationship between household air pollution and disease to promote better alternatives for the environment. To Rahim, climate action is not an option, it’s our new way of life. Here are three things Rahim wants everyone to know leading up to COP26. Take notes, because they affect each and every one of us.

Climate change is a public health crisis

Rahim says, “We came up with the idea of addressing climate change impacts on public health because it affects the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), household air pollution in Tanzania is responsible for roughly 4 million premature deaths each year, which includes deaths from noncommunicable diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer. And if you’re wondering what’s causing most of that pollution, look no further than charcoal and firewood. They’re the most commonly used types of fuel for cooking at home, and they’re wreaking havoc on air quality. The alternative? Clean energy.

Climate action is needed now

Climate change is ravaging natural resources everywhere, but in Tanzania, where many people depend on natural resources for their livelihood, the fallout is even more devastating.

In Rahim’s travels, he sees a lack of urgency around climate action, especially among people who don’t farm for a living. In his own country, people do not have that luxury. The reality is that no one has that luxury: Climate change is affecting the entire planet, not just Tanzania. Heatwaves are a breeding ground for pathogens. And those pathogens lead to diseases like COVID-19 and malaria. Ending climate change now means stopping the next pandemic in its tracks. Who’s in?

Climate action needs everyone

The beauty of Rahim’s work is that he gets to collaborate with professionals across all sectors. He says, “We are working hard on our data to show how we are talking about SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and public health and how we can use SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) to come up with innovative products.” With help from other professionals who work on climate change mitigation, Geospatial Tanzania can set up community campaigns to stop deforestation for the production of charcoal and firewood. Rahim is a self-proclaimed ambassador for Goal 17, Partnerships for the Goals. What we all need to remember is that climate action needs global collaboration.