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

在这个项目中，我们将使用一个新开发的系统来解决尼加拉瓜的空气污染危害。空气污染是健康不良和过早死亡的最大环境根源。它每年造成400多万人死亡，其中90%在发展中国家。空气污染既来自人类活动，也来自各种自然来源。在发展中国家，由于缺乏科学研究和常规监测，人们对空气污染普遍知之甚少。此外，虽然英国和其他高收入国家的公共空气质量（AQ）警报和警报是法定的，但在世界上最贫穷的地区几乎不存在。因此，世界卫生组织建议发展中国家改善空气污染监测，以更好地了解空气污染对健康的影响，并协助地方当局制定改善空气质量的计划。在之前的一个研究项目中，我们的团队研究了一个鲜为人知的持续活火山空气污染源，并以尼加拉瓜的马萨亚火山为例进行了研究。火山空气污染是一种慢性自然灾害，可能存在于官方发展援助名单上的30多个国家，但未列入其缓解战略。关于VAP与人为空气污染的相互作用及其对健康和环境的影响，几乎一无所知。我们之前的项目开发和试验了一个用于监测VAP的系统，并评估了使该系统适合于操作使用的方法。这一新系统可用于监测火山和其他来源的AQ，包括交通等人为活动。我们将安装一个永久AQ站网络，将实时数据传输到巴布亚新几内亚自然灾害观测站。我们还将介绍可视化和解释数据的技术和工具。尼加拉瓜已经建立了一个完善的系统，用于监测和减轻地震、飓风和海啸等其他一些自然灾害。AQ网络将与现有系统集成，并与其他危害监测一起使用。我们将与哥伦比亚自然灾害观测站、民防部门以及其他多个当地和国际终端用户合作。AQ数据将用于预测和发布不健康空气污染水平的公共声明。公共医疗机构使决策者和公众能够采取措施保护最脆弱的人，如呼吸系统和心脏病患者、儿童和老人。空气质量监测还提高了决策者和公众对空气污染问题的认识，因此是改善该国空气质量的重要第一步。我们将与当地社区密切合作，以确保公共指南适用，易于理解，并对他们的生活方式有用。在项目结束时，当地的最终用户，如自然灾害观测站，将具备必要的能力和知识来管理和扩大安问网络。

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.