In a recent and concerning move, the US government has decided to cease sharing air quality data obtained from its embassies and consulates, as reported by the Associated Press. This decision has raised alarms among local scientists and environmental experts who see the program as a vital tool for global air quality monitoring and public health improvement. The State Department announced that due to “funding constraints,” the air quality data transmission to platforms such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow app will no longer continue. Although embassies and consulates are instructed to maintain their air quality monitors, there is uncertainty about when and if data-sharing will resume if funding is restored.
This fiscal cut, first highlighted by the New York Times, mirrors broader trends seen during President Donald Trump’s administration, which has been criticized for deprioritizing environmental and climate initiatives. The US air quality monitoring program has been instrumental in tracking dangerous fine particulate matter known as PM2.5. This type of pollution is particularly hazardous as it can penetrate deep into lung tissue, leading to severe respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and even premature death. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is responsible for the deaths of approximately 7 million people around the world each year.
Experts have voiced strong concerns over the implications of this data-sharing termination. Bhargav Krishna, an air pollution specialist from the Sustainable Futures Collaborative in New Delhi, referred to the cessation of data sharing as “a big blow” to global air quality research. He emphasized that the US data provided crucial benchmarks for understanding local air quality in many developing countries, where monitoring resources are often limited. Moreover, Alejandro Piracoca Mayorga, a freelance consultant from Colombia, echoed this sentiment, highlighting that the US monitoring data served as a reliable source independent of local monitoring networks, crucial for accurate assessments of air quality.
Khalid Khan, an environmental advocate in Pakistan, warned of significant consequences for public health due to the loss of US monitoring data. He detailed how the monitors in particularly polluted areas, such as Peshawar, provided essential real-time data crucial for health-related decision-making by policymakers and the public. In many regions, vulnerable populations will bear the brunt of this data loss, as they often lack access to other dependable air quality information. Additionally, in African countries like Senegal, Nigeria, Chad, and Madagascar, the US surveillance system is one of the few sources of air quality data available.
The World Health Organization’s air quality database is also expected to suffer due to this program’s shutdown. Given the high costs and complexities associated with establishing and maintaining air quality monitoring stations, many low-income countries rely heavily on the data provided by US embassies for their assessments of air pollution levels.
Historically, the US air quality monitors have prompted many nations to improve their air quality awareness and research. In China, for example, data published by the US Embassy in Beijing contradicted the official government reports, revealing significantly worse pollution levels than acknowledged by authorities, which in turn spurred improvements in air quality policies.
Despite these concerns, some local officials, such as Raja Jahangir in Punjab, Pakistan, expressed indifference to the discontinuation of the US monitoring systems, claiming that they have sufficient local resources and plans to enhance their own monitoring capabilities. However, Shweta Narayan of the Global Climate and Health Alliance remarked that while the shutdown of the US program is a significant setback, it also presents a “critical opportunity” for countries like India to bolster their air quality infrastructure, enhance data transparency, and foster public trust in environmental governance.