PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Air pollution significantly affects quality of life. In developed countries, critical concentrations of particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3) and heat-stress have a damaging impact on health and the environment. Many studies have also demonstrated the connection between PM and rates of hospitalisation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and premature death. According to data published by the World Health Organisation, the average life expectancy in Poland is 10.7 months shorter because of air pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to better understand the complex interactions between pollutants, weather conditions and human health. This requires the long-term monitoring of human health and environmental quality, the use of spatial modelling methods for air quality, and the creation of short-term forecasts of exposure to high concentrations of pollutants. This monitoring, modelling and forecasting can support environmental management and information systems, to improve air quality and reduce risks to human health.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the LIFE-APIS/PL project was to minimise the negative impact of air pollution on public health by developing a new air pollution management and information system. This combined existing meteorological models and risk assessment methods, with the aim of improving the monitoring and regulation of air quality. The project’s main goal was to provide local citizens with necessary information and decision-making bodies with a tool to use when issuing warnings about poor air quality, forecasting its impact, implementing measures to reduce pollution, and for long-term environmental planning. The project aimed to create an information and warning system for the public that includes air pollution, meteorological and bio-meteorological conditions. This objective was achieved through the design and implementation of an air quality modelling system and a communication system concerning risks, along with a support system for air quality management.
RESULTS
The LIFE-APIS/PL project developed an air quality forecasting system, the first such system in Poland, as well as a system to inform the public, and regional and local authorities, in the Lower Silesian (Dolnośląskie) Voivodeship about trends in air quality and the threat of smog incidents. This tool enables decision-making bodies to issue air quality warnings, control air quality, and conduct efficient environmental planning. The air quality forecasting system was fully functional at the end of the project, and forecasts changes in air pollutants for the next three consecutive days. It should reduce health risks for the region's inhabitants. The project created an information and air pollution warning system for the public, which incorporates monitoring data for air pollution, meteorological, and bio-meteorological conditions. The air pollution forecasting system is also connected to the database of the Main Environmental Protection Inspectorate, regarding sources of pollutant emissions to air throughout Poland. Thanks to this, extending the system will make it possible to forecast changes in air pollution throughout Poland; although at the moment the system works only in the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship (as planned within the project). To disseminate air pollution forecasts and changes in the concentrations of the selected air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NOx, NO2, O3, SO2, NH3, CO), the project team established an online geoportal (www.powietrze.uni.wroc.pl). Here, forecast results are presented spatially, so locations are easily found on a map, with forecasts including expected air quality over the next three days, along with meteorological (e.g. temperature, total solar radiation, relative humidity, wind speed and direction) and bio-meteorological (e.g. wind-chill temperature, heat stress index) information. The project also produced a mobile telephone app displaying information about the forecast air quality, and 16 innovative illuminated information boards for the public that display current air quality forecasts and pollutant trends in the main twelve towns and cities of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship. During the project period, the geoportal was visited more than 12 000 000 times by citizens, and the app was downloaded by more than 1 000 users. The project team constructed and tested a prototype mobile sodar (sonic detection and ranging) system, for the remote acoustic sensing of turbulence and wind in the lower atmosphere to better predict how pollutants will disperse. The prototype sodar was used to construct a mobile monitoring station that enables improved assessments of air quality in different locations. Its small size and mobility make it especially suited to urban areas. An effective dissemination campaign involved a website (http://life-apis.meteo.uni.wroc.pl/), conference presentations and scientific papers, newspaper articles, and features on TV and radio. Over 400 people also took part in project training activities concerning air pollution. The project’s system will improve air protection management in the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship, by providing decision-making bodies and local citizens with a tool to help issue warnings about air quality and its expected impact. This information can help in the implementation of measures to control air pollution, and reduce exposure to air pollutants when they exceed permitted standards. The dissemination of air pollutant information in terms of human health also increases pressure on authorities to implement measures to improve air quality. Consequently, in the long-term, air quality in the region should improve. Project results support the implementation of EU environmental policy relating to air quality and the protection of the health of EU citizens. The project has a high demonstration value, especially the mobile app. and display boards that could be replicated elsewhere in the EU. Socio-economic benefits relate to improving the health of citizens in the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship. Using the air quality forecasts, people can plan their activities, for example, to avoid smog incidents. This information will be particularly important for protecting the health of children and the elderly. The project contributes to the Clean Air programme and to the Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
