US assistance to improve Bangladesh air quality

The United States has said it will continue to help Bangladesh improve air quality.

The US embassy announced Washington’s willingness to assist on Wednesday on its new Twitter handle.

U.S. Envoy for Air Quality Dr. Shauer is in #Bangladesh this week to discuss ideas for tackling air pollution. He's already met with @icddr_b, the PM's Coordinator for #SDGs, Dept. of Environment, DGHS, and the DNCC Mayor, and has more planned for the week. Check back for updates pic.twitter.com/pJGvOittQv

— U.S. Embassy Dhaka (@usembassydhaka) July 23, 2019

@Dhaka_Air, inaugurated to mark the visit of US Science Envoy for Air Quality Dr James J Schauer, stated: “Air quality is a crucial issue that affects every single person in Dhaka, Bangladesh, America, and around the world.

“It is a large and growing global threat to human health, and has significant economic consequences.”

Why US air quality monitor?

The US Department of State, through a partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency, has installed air quality monitors at US embassies and consulates across the globe.

Since February, 2016, the US Embassy in Dhaka has operated its air quality monitor and provided publicly available readings.

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The readings are available in real time on the EPA's AirNow.gov website, the US Embassy website, and now through the new Twitter handle: @Dhaka_Air.

Several commercial smartphone applications also utilise the data to their benefit.

Transparent, real-time data sharing is critical for public awareness, and allows scientists and policymakers to access and analyse the data to make informed policy decisions.