NEW DELHI — The United States government has decided to cease distributing air quality data from its embassies and consulates, causing apprehension among scientists and experts who have relied on this information to monitor air quality internationally and enhance public health.
The State Department disclosed that its air quality monitoring program would halt the delivery of pollution data from U.S. diplomatic missions to various platforms such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow app. This decision is attributed to funding constraints, though embassies and consulates will continue operating their air monitors. The possibility of data-sharing resuming in the future remains if financial support is reinstated. This funding cut is consistent with other reductions during President Donald Trump’s administration, where environmental and climate initiatives are generally being deprioritized.
These air quality monitors have been pivotal in measuring PM2.5—a harmful fine particulate matter linked to respiratory illnesses, heart conditions, and premature death. The World Health Organization approximates that air pollution causes around 7 million fatalities annually.
Upon hearing about the stopped data dissemination, scientists expressed concern over losing this reliable global air quality monitoring source, crucial for urging governments to clean up the air.
Bhargav Krishna, an expert from New Delhi’s Sustainable Futures Collaborative, described this development as “a big blow” to the field of air quality research. He emphasized that the sensors supported understanding of air quality, particularly in developing countries, and served as an unbiased standard to verify local data.
Alejandro Piracoca Mayorga, an air quality consultant in Colombia, lamented the decision, noting these monitors provided independent air quality information for places like Lima, Sao Paulo, and Bogota, offering essential data for public and scientific examination.
In Pakistan, environmental expert Khalid Khan voiced concerns about the significant impact that the absence of these monitors would have, particularly in heavily polluted cities such as Peshawar. Accurate, real-time data was vital for policy-making, research, and public health, and its removal has left a critical void.
For many African countries, such as Senegal, Nigeria, Chad, and Madagascar, this program was crucial for local air quality data, often serving as their primary, if not sole, source of information. Air quality tracking can be costly and complicated, making U.S. data indispensable.
The cessation of this data could affect WHO’s air quality database, which many low-income countries depend on due to the challenges of maintaining their own monitoring systems.
However, the U.S. air quality monitors have previously inspired local efforts. For example, in China, U.S. Embassy data exposed higher pollution levels than the government disclosed, prompting significant improvements in air quality.
In Pakistan, Punjab province’s officials indicated a lack of concern over the withdrawal of U.S. monitors, citing their own systems and plans for expansion.
In India, Shweta Narayan from the Global Climate and Health Alliance viewed the situation as both a setback and an opportunity for India to enhance its air quality monitoring infrastructure, ensuring data transparency and public trust.
The original report included contributions from Adebayo in Nigeria, Babar Dogar and Riaz Khan in Pakistan, Aniruddha Ghosal in Vietnam, and Steven Grattan in Colombia.
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