Our impact - UrbanBetter

Our impact at a glance

We drive impact through an integrated pathway from lived experience and evidence to influence and action on urban greenhouse gas emissions and health risks.

Cityzens generate hyperlocal data on climate-health risks such as air quality, heat and mobility, making emissions-related health risks visible in everyday urban life. And our digital, social and intellectual infrastructure cultivates youth agency and collective capacity to act on this evidence, while the UrbanBetter Academy strengthens analysis, leadership and institutional uptake so insights inform policy, investment and urban design.

The results below show how this model is translating community-generated evidence into measurable influence of young people and concrete actions that accelerate lower-emissions, healthier urban futures.

Youth influencing decision making

30+ Decision makers engaged

Lagos Cityzens and their citizen science data activated a dormant transport policy and Cityzens are now collaborating with the transport authority on deploying climate-friendly walking and cycling infrastructure.

Engagement with an additional 30 decision makers spurred the use of Cityzens evidence in city planning, inspired new climate commitments, and catalysed a six-month climate education programme in a Lagos primary school.

Nairobi Cityzens are helping shape the city’s clean air plan through citizens assembly recommendations, bringing youth-generated evidence into city-level policy.

Building youth agency

Hubs

Youth trained

People engaged

People reached digitally

1800+ Youth registered on the UrbanBetter digital platform, engaging in air quality monitoring, story telling, and civic engagement leading to increased awareness, advocacy and ensuring young people are shaping policy.

11,000+ People engaged locally through grassroots events, including clean air runs, walks, and cycling campaigns, raising awareness of the most pressing health and climate challenges in cities.

100,000+ People reached through digital campaigns, advancing conversations on health and climate justice across communities.

These collective efforts are anchored in Five Active Cityzens Hubs across Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg and Bogotá, strengthening local to global action for healthier, climate-resilient cities.

Cityzens generating evidence

Validated air quality readings

Health and climate data points

Research projects

745,000+ validated air quality readings produced through citizen science efforts , which are now being applied in city planning and policy processes.

2,500+ health and climate data points produced through citizen science efforts , which are now being applied in city planning and policy processes.

3 research projects are funded and in progress, co-produced by Cityzens, decision makers
and academic partners at the University of Cambridge, University of Lagos and Makerere University to generate actionable evidence for urban health and climate resilience.

Shifting narratives and global positioning

10+ Global events

Featured at COP28, TED Countdown, U20 special report
Invited participation to shape discourse at global policy fora: WHO, UNHabitat, UN Science Summit, Davos, Clean Air Forum.

Impact spotlight

Featured in

How wearable sensors can catalyse grassroots advocacy on air pollution

NGFP 2020 Fellow Tolullah Oni Is Growing A Project For Healthier Futures in Africa

Where You Live Is As Important As What You Eat

‘A precision approach to activism’: distance runners join fight against Africa’s air pollution

Establishing regional air quality networks in African cities.

How To Improve Urban Health: A conversation with The Economist’s Babbage podcast

Recognitions

Earthshot Prize 2024 Nomination

Runner-up Prize, Cambridge Vice Chancellor’s Impact and Engagement Award 2023

Runner-up, 2021 Letten Prize

Partners

Global strategic alliances that accelerate our impact.

Funding partners

UrbanBetter is part of the Cambridge Social Ventures Incubator Programme in the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at Cambridge Judge Business School

We are grateful for the seed funding support from the Unorthodox Philanthropy

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