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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec.15
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Aiming to improve air quality and address the health and environmental hazards associated with air pollution, the Government of Georgia is launching an advanced monitoring system, Trend reports via the EU.
As reported, this system based on the indicative measurement standards adopted in the European Union (EU) member states. A new automatic air quality monitoring network has been set up in four cities – Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, and Batumi – while air samples are collected on a quarterly basis in 25 municipalities across the country.
Air quality monitoring is the responsibility of the National Environment Agency (NEA) of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA). The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) helped to set up a modern monitoring system in line with Georgia’s commitments under the EU Association Agreement.
The 15-month initiative was implemented by UNDP and NEA with $150,000 in funding from the Government of Sweden. The results were summarized at an online conference today, bringing together representatives of the Government, civil society, academia, and national and international experts.
The automated system monitors air quality in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, and Batumi through eight stations that collect data on atmospheric air pollutants round-the-clock. In another 25 municipalities, the NEA collects samples on major pollutants – carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter – four times a year.
To support the sustainable functioning of the new air quality monitoring system, UNDP helped establish monitoring standards, develop technical maintenance guidelines, and train NEA’s technicians.
In addition, NEA introduced tools and policies that support and sustain quality air monitoring in Georgia, equipping MEPA with technical and policy mechanisms needed to align Georgia’s practice with the requirements of the EU’s Clean Air For Europe (CAFE) program. This includes a new system of data verification and validation, ensuring that high-quality statistical data can be compared across time slots or locations; a regulatory act on monitoring criteria and frequency, prepared in line with EU regulations; and a roadmap identifying the next steps in improving the air quality monitoring network.
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