North American AirNow-International Project
Status: Completed
Operational Plan: 2013 - 2014
Building on work under the 2011-12 Operational Plan, this project continues work connecting Mexico’s diverse air quality monitoring systems linking data and analyses to the AirNow System used by the US and Canada. This will support common air quality data management and information-sharing across North America, which would allow any person to access air quality conditions in specific locations.
As part of the trilateral effort to promote healthy communities, this work supported and improved the management and sharing of ambient air quality data, and public access to it, through AirNow-International. In particular, it supported Mexico’s efforts to connect its diverse air quality monitoring systems with the AirNow system used by Canada and the United States. Data can now be accessed on air quality conditions for locations across the three countries.
Key Accomplishments
- Air quality monitoring networks in five major metropolitan areas (including Mexico City), accounting for half the urban population Mexico, now in the AirNow-International (AirNow-I) community
- Citizens from Canada, Mexico and the United States now able to access comparable information on air quality conditions from selected cities across North America
- Improved air quality data processing, leading to greater efficiency and effectiveness of air quality management decisions using the AirNow-I system (for instance, Monterrey data
processing times reduced by 80%) - Experts from Canada and the United States provided input on the proposal for a national air quality index for Mexico, which would inform the public about air quality conditions