Scientific strategy, action right way to reduce air pollution: Prof James J Schauer

High-quality air pollution data, identifying pollution sources, and making a science-based strategy as well as taking action based on that is the right way to reduce air pollution, US Science Envoy for Air Quality Professor James J Schauer has said.

“I greatly appreciate the idea of data and information as well as making decisions based on high-quality data. The first step is monitoring,” he said at a press briefing organised by the US embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Apart from measuring pollution levels, he also stressed examining the chemical composition of pollutants to know their sources.

“From chemical composition, we can understand the sources of pollution. That information is critical to knowing the pollution sources that need to be controlled, how much they need to be controlled, and then developing the strategy to control,” James said.

“I think it is really important that we push hard to make sure that we have the right monitoring and we can develop the strategy,” he said.

The envoy also said, “The major strategy is that we need to work on a multi-year plan that can help us reduce air pollution in Dhaka. That is our primary goal and motivation.”

A factsheet provided by the embassy to journalists at the event said there are several critical air pollutants and the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) presents the greatest concern in many cities and countries around the world due to its impact on human health and welfare.

Dhaka suffers from severe PM2.5 pollution along with many other large megacities in South Asia, the factsheet added.

James also described how the US overcame the air pollution problem, how it monitored air quality, how critical the public engagement was, how the authorities worked with industrial groups, and how formulating acts and amending those differentiated the actions at different levels, such as national, regional, and local. All this was done based on scientific research.

“In 1960, the air quality in the US was the same as that in Dhaka and other polluted cities now,” James mentioned.

However, he expressed his optimism about improving Dhaka’s air quality.

After the briefing, he showed reporters the air quality monitoring system installed at the embassy and explained how they monitor air quality through US missions worldwide.