Sunday, January 23, 2011

Air Quality Today in Cities Across the World


Air pollution is a growing problem for not only the megacities, but also for 300+ secondary cities, which are following in the footsteps of the megacities (with population more than 10 million) and in line to face similar set of environmental consequences (air and water pollution) of motorization and industrialization, if the necessary policy and technical interventions are not put in place immediately.

Most often, the regulatory bodies have the responsibility of making these necessary and adequate decisions and are always in need for better data. Data not only to base the decisions on, but also to inform the public and media of the current situation and progress in the future. See a previous post on links to air quality monitoring is Asian Megacities.

For air pollution, the air quality index (AQI) is such an indicator.


The AQI is an "index" determined by calculating the degree of pollution in the city or at the monitoring point and includes five main pollutants - particulate matter (see SIM-10-2008), ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Each of these pollutants have an air quality standard which is used to calculate the overall AQI for the city. Simultaneously, one can also establish the limiting pollutant(s), resulting in the estimating AQI.

Pollution in Beijing Today is Like London of 1950's (IHT)


Establishing this number in a forecast mode is not an easy exercise, as it involves modeling of emissions, dispersion of the pollutants depending on local meteorology and terrain, and presentation. However, a number of platforms (and groups) are established and in use, for the readers to choose and learn (and apply). We conducted a workshop on this topic in collaboration with WMO and IITM, in India and hope you will benefit from the material.
The city of Delhi is now the first city to have the air quality forecasting system and a methodology to calculate AQI in India.

Real Time Air Quality and Air Quality Index for Delhi, India


For dissemination, options are limitless and there are innovative ways to present the information to public and media - via balloons (in Paris), via websites (links below), via photo journals (in Beijing), via digital exhibition (in Madrid) and lasers (in Helsinki).

Global Links to Air Quality Index - also check out the side bar on this block for live updates

at

11 comments:

  1. UnknownNovember 6, 2009 at 12:11 PM

    In India, CPCB uses Exceedence indicator i.e.

    EI= Cocntration/standard

    EI <0.5 : LOW AIR POLLUTION
    1>EI >0.5 : MODERATE AIR POLLUTION
    1.5>EI <1 : HIGH AIR POLLUTION
    EI >1.5 : CRITICAL AIR POLLUTION

    www.environmentalinfobank.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarath GuttikundaNovember 7, 2009 at 2:33 PM

    Dear Swati,

    thank you for the information. Can you send me a link on CPCB's website where these EI's are published on a daily basis?

    With regards,
    Sarath

    ReplyDelete
  3. Perseverance_IndiaNovember 16, 2009 at 12:12 PM

    Dear Sarath,

    Sorry these AQI's are not published on daily basis. But are published their annual NAMP data book.
    Check this : http://cpcbenvis.nic.in/naaqms26.htm

    Also, a request to you, I have developed a website www.environmentalinfobank.com for the usage of people working in the environmental community. Please pass on this to the releveant people.
    Thanks

    Swati

    ReplyDelete
  4. daniel johnMarch 8, 2010 at 3:03 PM

    Thanks For The Info.

    Term Papers

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousDecember 11, 2010 at 4:58 PM

    The Air Quality Index in Urban Centers Global Examples is good thing to get know about, I think this kind of things is really nice for the users to make it more good for there own work.

    Essays

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousDecember 22, 2010 at 3:47 PM

    Wonder full posting, And I am really impressed with this blog.It is easy to see that you are impassioned about your writing. So please update your blog, And keep posting.

    Essays

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sarath GuttikundaDecember 22, 2010 at 9:27 PM

    Thank you Harris.

    I just noticed that some of the links are not working. Do check the side bar for new cities added to the list for real time air quality data from cities across the world.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2011 at 4:40 PM

    The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Urban Centers Global Examples is some thing nice to get know about and I think this is really good to have an information about this for reading.

    Sample Essays

    ReplyDelete
  9. patricatOctober 27, 2011 at 2:56 AM

    It is beneficial to have air pollution data obtained also from smaller, secondary urban areas. However, it is quite worthy to consider even smaller cities - 100.000 and less as the example of Canada shows - with Sarnia, Ontario being the most polluted in the whole country.

    ReplyDelete
  10. park central hotel new yorkMarch 13, 2012 at 12:01 PM

    love love love it all! this is like a gift from the gods. Still, thank you so much for posting the information, that's enough.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sarath GuttikundaMarch 13, 2012 at 12:09 PM

    Thank you for the comment. We noticed that each country and city, has their method to madness in posting the air quality information and we are trying to, at least, put the links of this information together. If you notice similar and useful links elsewhere, please let us know.

    ReplyDelete