Fixing our air pollution challenges
Originally posted at the Pakistan Observer by Dr M Saifur Rehman on 27 December 2016, this article is a good overview on understanding and addressing air pollution in Pakistan. The first step is to set up a consolidated air quality monitoring plan.
Recent smog incidents in Delhi and Lahore have indicated upcoming challenge of air pollution in the region. Just after the smog in air, everybody started explaining this phenomenon in his own words. Like always, the worst thing came out as a conspiracy theory that it caused from the other side of the border. Many people blamed crop residue burning, coal fired power plants along Indian border and many more. However, this smog was the first physical red signal that was quite visible to all of us, otherwise, international agencies have already warned about the worst quality of air in the region. A recent WHO report shows that bad air quality is a global concern and it kills more than 6.5 million people worldwide. It means that air pollution causes more than 11.6% deaths globally even more than the deaths caused by AIDS, TB and road accidents.
WHO map shows that entire Punjab province (the area most affected with smog) is 7 times more polluted with particulate matter (PM2.5) in these areas than WHO upper limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter. PM2.5 matter is one of the major ingredients of smog that remains suspended in air and affects the apparent visibility at first instance. But, the worst part of PM2.5 is that it can travel deep into human lungs where it can cause fatal damage like lungs cancer. PM2.5 matter originates from different point sources such as household heating, transportation, construction, power generation and industrial activities. All of these activities are actively ongoing in Lahore and its surrounding areas. Thus, almost all of the root causes for smog were already available for years but the smog appeared just now. So, all of the stakeholders cannot argue that they are not aware of the ongoing drivers, and smog is just a matter of time.
The current air quality situation will face several challenges in future as the provincial government is constructing two mega coal fired power plants. Coal fired power plants will become major contributors of PM2.5 concentration to already polluted air. It can be easily foreseen that coming years will face more smog events at a higher frequency and elevated intensity. This scenario requires a through consideration and well preparedness before time, otherwise the air quality will be highly damaging in coming years. In order to tackle the situation, the first responsibility lies with the government to immediately formulate a consolidated a policy about air quality monitoring. Environmental Protection Agencies (EPAs) should eagerly accept a proactive role in this regard.
- They should establish a consolidated air quality monitoring plan that may provide/keep baseline data for air quality in the country. In this regard, SUPARCO, Institute of Space Technology and NUST can help with their ongoing air quality monitoring projects.
- Secondly, EPAs have to enhance their own capability and capacity of local air monitoring specially focusing on industrial units. They can partly rely on third part organizations for parallel assistance but total reliance will not be appropriate because third parties do lack in HR and instrumentation capacities.
- Meanwhile, government should not tolerate any violation to existing environment laws by any contributor.
- Furthermore, government should also focus on the proper conduction of studies regarding initial environmental assessment, environmental impact and risk assessment and going one step ahead, it should implement strategic impact assessment for construction and other mega projects. The quality of current environmental assessment practices is not up to the mark. In this regard, government should arrange capacity building trainings for governmental as well as private sectors.
Air quality has become a global concern. It is highly possible that it may be treated under global laws in near future due to its trans-boundary nature.
Thus, proactive approach to comply with national as well as international air quality standards will be a timely effort. Dr Maria Neira, who is Director of the WHO’s Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health has already warned “Fast action to tackle air pollution can’t come soon enough. Solutions exist with sustainable transport in cities, solid waste management, access to clean household fuels and cook-stoves, as well as renewable energies and industrial emissions reductions.” We need to understand the challenge of air pollution, and strategically address it in due time to save our generations.
By Dr M Saifur Rehman — The writer is Postdoctoral Fellow at Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing.
Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI پاکی) provides community-driven air quality data to increase social awareness. Follow us on Twitter @PakAirQuality and facebook.com/PakAirQuality/ for updates. Help us set up an air quality monitor in your city!
