Air Pollution: Research for Action

Climate change and air pollution are two sides of the same coin—as the climate gets warmer, air pollution increases because pollutants form faster in a warmer environment. (Photograph by Sudarshan Jha/Shutterstock.com)

Air pollution kills more than seven million people annually across the world. The smallest particles floating in the atmosphere are the most dangerous, increasing the risk of heart and lung diseases and cancer, says air quality expert Richard Peltier. A public health scientist and professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Peltier recently visited India on a trip sponsored by the U.S. State Department. During his visit he engaged with diverse audiences, emphasizing the urgent need to address air pollution.

Peltier serves as a member of the WHO’s Global Air Pollution and Health Technical Advisory Group, and his work is supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).

Excerpts from the interview with SPAN.

Please tell us about your work in the field of global air pollution.

I work with the WHO, the U.S. EPA and, to some extent, with the World Meteorological Organization. While most of my work takes place in a laboratory, field or classroom, it often also involves writing academic science papers that are read mainly by other academics.

About five years ago, I made a deliberate shift in my focus to address broader societal challenges and move beyond publishing papers for academics. I began prioritizing engagement with policymakers and assisting in the interpretation and translation of scientific findings for them. Now, as part of my role at the WHO and EPA, I help these organizations understand and incorporate the latest innovative scientific research.

What technological options do we currently have to bring air pollution levels down in cities, apart from shifting to greener fuels?

It’s crucial to determine the sources of pollution and take steps to mitigate them. There are statistical tools that enable us to identify the origins of air pollution and make estimates. Supporting research focused on analyzing sources and creating emission inventories is essential. If you were to divide India up into little one-kilometer grids, you could figure out what fraction of that little one-kilometer grid is covered by agriculture, what has refining industries, and what has cars and trucks on it and come up with an emissions inventory that way. Once you know your sources, you can implement emission controls.

What factors affect air pollution in Indian cities?

Air pollution in India exhibits seasonal variations. It is highest in winter, from October through February, and this period seems to be getting longer. The increase in air pollution is a combination of two things. Firstly, the Indian economy is developing rapidly, and one of the byproducts of development is often air pollution. Secondly, climate change is affecting our weather patterns, amplifying the existing air pollution. Increasing emissions and environmental conditions make pollution worse.

Air pollution stems from three primary sources: pollution originating from distant regions, pollution generated within the regional area, and pollution that is locally generated. It is a combination of these factors that drives air pollution levels in various locations across India.

What are the linkages between climate change and pollution?

Climate change and pollution are two sides of the same coin. As the climate gets warmer, air pollution increases because pollutants form faster in a warmer environment. At the same time, air pollution can also make climate change worse. Black carbon, the sooty byproduct of diesel combustion, lands on glaciers and makes them melt faster, and traps more energy on the surface. So, you have this circle, and you wind up with aggravating conditions for climate change.

Transitioning to green energy is one pathway to reducing both carbon emissions and pollution. I say that with some hesitation because that magical experience when we transition everything to green energy sounds great in the future, but it’s going to take years and years and lots of money to get there. It’s something that we have to keep practicing and working at.

Can you give examples of U.S. cities that succeeded in controlling air pollution?

Los Angeles was once known as the pollution center of the United States. In the 1980’s it took robust science and really good scientists to go in and figure out what those sources were. Once the sources were identified, authorities started implementing changes with enforcement mechanisms. Regulators were willing to do the hard work of enforcing the laws.

It took quite a while to get there, but we are at a point, I think, in which air quality in Southern California, in the Los Angeles Basin, has improved dramatically. It’s much, much cleaner.

Pittsburgh, a small industrial town with significant metal industry, faced similar challenges with air pollution. It was also adjacent to the industrial sector of the United States. They’ve done a remarkable job as well with things like emissions controls on cars, putting emission controls on particularly toxic industries and figuring out where air pollution is coming from.

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