UN launches climate action phone app at UNEA

The United Nations launched a new smartphone app on Tuesday to raise global awareness on air pollution and climate action at the UN Environment Assembly.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) unveiled the Maskbook app in partnership with Art of Change 21 to enable people to create digital masks.

The app is designed to enable people to contribute to global collective artwork and a project to mobilise the world to protect their health and the climate from air pollution.

The Maskbook project also runs exhibitions and workshops in communities and cities including Beijing and Nairobi to raise awareness.

It provides information on how to best protect communities from dangerous air pollutants by using improved cookstoves and discouraging the burning of domestic and agricultural waste.

In the build up to UNEA-2, Maskbook partnered with UP Nairobi and inhabitants of Nairobi's Kangemi neighbourhood to run a workshop and create masks.

Helena Molin Valdes, Head of UNEP’s CCAC programme, said: "Using art to raise awareness is a unique and engaging way for us to reach communities to inform them of the solutions available to reduce air pollution and how these actions can also reduce global warming."

Ms Moil Valdes added: "The masks created are wonderful works of art but we must remember that masks can't protect people from air pollution, we can only protect people by getting rid of these dangerous air pollutants, and to do that we will need efforts at the local, national and global level."