1. UNEP’s Air Quality Monitoring System
Priyanka deSouza
Consultant
Division of Early Warning Assessment
UNEP
Priyanka.desouza@unep.org
2. UN Environment Assembly Adopts
Resolution to strengthen UNEP’s Air
Quality work
June 2014 - Governments Adopt UNEA
Resolution #7: Strengthening the role of the
United Nations Environment Programme in
promoting air quality
4. Air Quality Monitors: High cost to
Low Cost
Reference Air Quality Monitoring Station
-High accuracy
-High Costs ($150,000-$200,000)
-High installation costs
-High operation costs
Low cost Air Quality Monitor
-Low accuracy
-Low Cost (~few $100-$1000)
-Low installation costs
-Low operation costs
$200,000
5. To design, build and test a
• Low-cost (<$1500)
• Robust,
• Reliable
• Reasonably accurate
• Remote outdoor air quality monitoring
device
• Suitable for use in a wide range of cities in
the developing world
• Transmits data securely to a server.
Goal
7. What can this data be used for?
- Compliance?
- Pollution Management Plans
- Civic Awareness
- Source Apportionment
http://eoe.airscapes.io/index.html
17. Conclusions
• Low cost networks are now achievable
• With these networks we can locate pollution
sources
• With multiple measurements we can learn
about the worst pollutants to try and tackle air
quality
