International innovation follow-on for GCRF project UNRESP: Integration of air quality monitoring in Nicaragua's national hazard monitoring system

GCRF 项目 UNRESP 的国际创新后续：将空气质量监测纳入尼加拉瓜国家灾害监测系统

• 批准号: NE/R009465/1
• 负责人: Evgenia Ilyinskaya
• 金额: $ 12.97万
• 依托单位: University of Leeds
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2017 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FR009465%2F1
• 关键词: International; innovation; follow; GCRF; project; International; innovation; follow; GCRF; project

In this project, we will use a newly developed system to tackle the air pollution hazard in Nicaragua. Air pollution is the largest environmental root of ill-health and premature loss of life. Each year it causes over 4 million deaths, with 90% of these in developing countries. Air pollution stems both from anthropogenic activities as well as a variety of natural sources. In the developing countries air pollution is generally poorly understood due to lack of scientific research and routine monitoring. Furthermore, while public air quality (AQ) alerts and advisories are legally mandated in the UK and other high-income countries, they are almost non-existent in the poorest parts of the world. The World Health Organisation therefore recommends that monitoring of air pollution is improved in the developing countries to better understand the impact it has on health, and to assist local authorities in establishing plans for improving AQ. In a previous research project, our team looked at a poorly understood source of air pollution from persistently active volcanoes, using Masaya volcano in Nicaragua as a case study. Volcanic air pollution (VAP) is a chronic natural hazard potentially present in over 30 countries on the Official Development Assistance list but absent from their mitigation strategies. Almost nothing is known about the interaction of VAP with anthropogenic air pollution and the resulting impacts on health and the environment. Our previous project developed and trialled a system for monitoring VAP and assessed ways of making the system suitable for operational use. This new system can be used for monitoring AQ both from volcanoes and other sources, including anthropogenic activities such as traffic.We will install a network of permanent AQ stations that will stream data in real-time to the Nicaraguan natural hazards observatory. We will also introduce techniques and tools for visualising and interpret the data. Nicaragua already has a well-developed system for monitoring and mitigating a number of other natural hazards, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunami. The AQ network will be integrated with the pre-existing system and used alongside monitoring of other hazards. We will be collaborating with the Nicaraguan natural hazards observatory, the civil protection, and multiple other local and international end-users.The AQ data will be used to make forecasts and issue public advisories for unhealthy air pollution levels. Public advisories allow the decision makers and the public to take measures to protect the most vulnerable persons, such as people with respiratory and heart conditions, children and the elderly. AQ monitoring also increases the awareness of decision makers and the public on air pollution issues, and is therefore an important initial step towards improving AQ in the country. We will be working closely with the local communities to ensure that the public advisories are applicable, easily understandable, and useful for their lifestyle. At the end of the project, the local end-users, such as the natural hazards observatory, will have the necessary capability and knowledge to run the AQ network and expand it as needed.

在这个项目中，我们将使用新开发的系统来应对尼加拉瓜的空气污染危害。空气污染是健康状况不佳和过早生命丧失的最大环境根源。每年都会导致超过400万人死亡，其中90％在发展中国家。空气污染既来自人为活性，又来自多种天然来源。在发展中国家，由于缺乏科学研究和常规监测，空气污染通常对其进行了鲜为人知。此外，尽管在英国和其他高收入国家法律规定，公共空气质量（AQ）提醒和咨询是在世界上最贫穷的地区几乎不存在的。因此，世界卫生组织建议发展中国家改善对空气污染的监测，以更好地了解其对健康的影响，并协助地方当局建立改善水平的计划。在先前的研究项目中，我们的团队将持续活跃的火山的空气污染来源不足，使用尼加拉瓜的Masaya火山作为案例研究。火山空气污染（VAP）是一种慢性自然危害，可能存在于30多个国家的官方发展援助清单中，但减轻策略不存在。关于VAP与人为空气污染的相互作用以及对健康和环境的影响几乎一无所知。我们以前的项目开发并试用了一个系统，用于监视VAP，并评估了使该系统适合操作使用的方法。该新系统可用于监视来自火山和其他来源的AQ，包括人为活动，例如交通。我们将安装一个永久性AQ站网络，该网络将实时将数据实时流式传输到尼加拉瓜的自然危害天文台。我们还将介绍可视化和解释数据的技术和工具。尼加拉瓜已经拥有一个发达的系统，用于监测和减轻许多其他自然危害，例如地震，飓风和海啸。 AQ网络将与先前存在的系统集成，并与其他危害的监视一起使用。我们将与尼加拉瓜的自然危害天文台，民用保护以及其他多个本地和国际最终用户合作。该AQ数据将用于进行预测并发布不健康的空气污染水平的公共建议。公共咨询使决策者和公众能够采取措施来保护最脆弱的人，例如患有呼吸和心脏状况，儿童和老年人的人。 AQ监测还提高了决策者和公众对空气污染问题的认识，因此是改善该国AQ的重要第一步。我们将与当地社区紧密合作，以确保公共咨询适用，易于理解且对其生活方式有用。在项目结束时，本地最终用户（例如自然危害天文台）将具有运行AQ网络并根据需要扩展的必要能力和知识。