The United States has decided to stop sharing air quality data worldwide that was collected by its 80 embassies and consulates. As a result, many countries, especially poorer ones, that depend on this data to monitor air quality will be affected. For example, the World Health Organization's air quality database will be significantly impacted.
U.S. air quality monitors, until now, recorded hazardous particles such as PM2.5, which can be extremely harmful to health. This type of information was also available in the mobile application ZephAir. However, recent budget cuts in the U.S. have led to the termination of this program.
In light of this decision, the scientific community has expressed its concern. For instance, Bhargav Krishna from Sustainable Futures Collaborative in New Delhi mentioned that the loss of this data represents a significant setback for air quality research. This data was not only fundamental for understanding air quality in many developing countries, but it also served as a reliable reference to contrast local data.
In Africa, this program provided essential air quality data for more than a dozen countries, including Senegal, Nigeria, and Madagascar. The termination of this initiative will negatively affect nations where air quality data is limited or unreliable, which could have serious consequences for public health.
Additionally, shortly after this announcement, it was reported that the United States plans to close a dozen consulates in several countries, such as Italy, France, and Brazil, as part of the proposed budget cuts. This move adds to other measures taken by the current administration to reduce environmental monitoring and science related to climate change.
The decision to end the sharing of air quality data, along with potential consulate closures, raises serious concerns about the implications this could have on public health and the transparency of environmental information at an international level.
