Sensing change: how cities are using new sensing technologies to achieve air quality goals
Nine out of ten people breathe dirty air. Air pollution leads to early death and increased disease, while impacting our economies and reducing opportunities for our residents to thrive. The most vulnerable and marginalised communities in our cities are most at risk. Air quality monitoring is a vital part of a city’s toolbox to improve urban air quality. Some cities have access to data from reference (or “regulatory-grade”) monitors – which are highly accurate but expensive. Other cities have little to no air quality information. But a recent increase in more-affordable monitoring technologies has created new opportunities for cities of all resource levels. Diverse cities are using low-cost air quality sensors to monitor air pollution and develop actions to clean their air. C40 Cities’ new air quality monitoring report highlights 11 cities that have deployed these sensors: Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Denver, Lima, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Paris, Portland, and Quezon City.
