Air pollution is responsible for ~ 7 million premature deaths every year. 90% of these deaths occurred in the Global South. How can countries in the Global South improve air quality? This talk takes a multipronged approach to answer this question. First: air pollution data is critical for the development of effective air quality management plans. Few cities in the Global South have extensive regulatory air pollution monitor networks, and when they do, the data are often not publicly available. This talk proposes novel methodologies to leverage data from low-cost sensors and satellite data to fill in the air pollution data gaps. However, air pollution data is only one piece of the puzzle. In order to convince policy-makers of the urgency of tackling air pollution this talk also evaluates the health impact of air pollution in the Indian and African contexts. Finally, how does data ultimately lead to action? This talk ends by describing what actions air quality measurements have led to in Kenya, and what existing barriers to effective policy actions are.