The National Association for Clean Air, a South African not-for-profit organization, has initiated a project that aims to enhance the discoverability, visibility and impact of its journal, and to increase community engagement in the journal through the development of a communications strategy to attract and retain more authors and readers.

Clean Air Journal, a peer-reviewed no-fee open access journal, is the official publication of the National Association for Clean Air, and publishes articles on air quality, air quality management, and the impacts of air pollution relevant to Africa.

When it began publishing in 1971, Clean Air Journal articles focused on South Africa. In 2013, the journal was revamped to broaden its scope to include atmospheric science issues in Africa. Journal policies and workflows were updated and the journal moved online as a no-fee open access peer-reviewed journal. The revamp strengthened the journal; however, the majority of articles still focus on South African air quality, limiting the number of manuscripts submitted as well as readership and authorship.

The proposed project and communications strategy will also further develop strategic partnerships with organizations such as UNEP (the United Nations Environment Programme) and Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and the African Group on Atmospheric Sciences.

The ‘Growing Clean Air Journal's impact to support clean air in Africa’ project is one of 17 projects that have received grant support through a three-year project to strengthen no-fee open access publishing in Africa implemented by EIFL, AJOL (African Journals Online) and WACREN (the West and Central African Research and Education Network), with funding from Wellcome.

Timeline:

October 2024 - September 2025

Activities

• Hiring a marketing consultant who works with journals to develop and assist with implementing a communication and marketing strategy;
• Attending relevant conferences and meetings to highlight the Clean Air Journal and develop stronger partnerships with African-wide initiatives and actors working on African air quality;
• Improving Clean Air Journal’s online presence.

More about Clean Air Journal.