Air Quality Awareness Being Raised Through City Air Project

The need for clean and quality air worldwide rose to the top of the agenda with the Corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic. The majority of the population staying at home and the reduction in the number of vehicles on the road due to restrictions and bans implemented particularly in major cities within the scope of the pandemic significantly reduced particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide pollution from vehicles. This situation naturally led to improved air quality. This can be clearly observed in Figure-1 and Figure-2. [caption id="attachment_101873" align="aligncenter"] Figure 1. Air Pollution Map in Selected Provinces of Turkey, January-March Change (Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/turkiyenin-29-buyuksehrinde-hava-kirliligi-yuzde-32-azaldi-/1812597)[/caption] (Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/turkiyenin-29-buyuksehrinde-hava-kirliligi-yuzde-32-azaldi-/1812597) [caption id="attachment_101874" align="aligncenter"] Figure 2. Impact of Covid-19; change in nitrogen dioxide concentration density[/caption] (Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/turkiyenin-kovid-19-sonrasi-bos-kalan-meydanlari-uzaydan-goruntulendi/1808250) The reduction in particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide pollution particularly in major cities during March and April is reflected in the maps provided by İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Satellite Communication and Remote Sensing Center (UHUZAM), the European Union's Air Quality Observation Programme (CAMS-Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) and the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These results demonstrate that every effort made to improve air quality will contribute to raising the standard of living. Based on this logic, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, which implemented the Improving Air Quality in Cities and Raising Public Awareness (CityAir) project last year, has simultaneously been updating clean air action plans for 31 provinces while accelerating efforts to increase individual awareness. In the first year of the project financed by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey, the Ministry organized workshops in Kahramanmaraş, Sinop and İzmir with the participation of local administrations and relevant stakeholders. Within this scope, the current situation regarding air quality in the relevant provinces and future planning were evaluated. Additionally, brochures for children, pregnant women, elderly and at-risk groups were prepared as part of the project. The Ministry organized a comprehensive event in Konya, Turkey's most bicycle-used city, in September 2019 as part of European Mobility Week. Directing citizens to use public transport for long distances and to walk or cycle for short distances is among the Ministry's objectives. Prof. Dr. Alper Ünal, Teaching Member of İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Eurasian Institute of Earth Sciences, Department of Climate and Marine Sciences, and expert on the CityAir Project, drew attention to the benefits that would be provided by implementing the action plans to be drawn up and increasing individual awareness. Ünal reminded that air quality, which is negatively affected by major domestic heating, transportation and industrial pollution sources in Turkey, causes significant damage to both human health and economies.

Prof. Dr. Alper Ünal assessed one year of the project as part of World Environment Day on 5 June.

Ünal drew attention to a misconception among people that industrial facilities are the only source of air pollution. Ünal stated: "The improvement in air quality as a result of vehicles being withdrawn from traffic during the corona virus period clearly demonstrated our individual responsibility for the air we breathe. In just two months, we saw particulate matter-related air pollution from vehicles decrease by 32 percent. For this reason, while we continue our inventory and modeling work that forms the basis for air quality in 31 provinces, we are creating public awareness regarding individual responsibility for the air we breathe."

Air pollution problem concerns the entire world

Stating that they aim to significantly increase the rate of awareness regarding air pollution, Ünal said, "In the workshops organized, we conveyed to local administrations and all relevant stakeholders how they should explain the issue to our citizens. The World Health Organization's list of 'the most important problems the world faced in 2019' also includes air pollution. Good air quality strengthens our ranks as an effective protective measure in the fight against the corona virus" he expressed his views.

About the CityAir Project

The CityAir Project is financed by the Republic of Turkey and the European Union. The project aims to protect air quality in 31 provinces in Turkey and raise public awareness. It is possible to say that the training and cooperation activities, air quality workshops and field visits organized within the scope of the project are extremely important in terms of training local personnel. Studies are being carried out within the scope of the project to ensure that air quality management issues are understood at the level of decision makers, municipalities, children, women and different levels of society and to increase awareness on this subject. Aydın, Denizli, İzmir, Manisa, Muğla, Uşak, Adana, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Mersin, Osmaniye, Amasya, Çorum, Giresun, Ordu, Samsun, Sinop, Sivas, Tokat, Afyon, Aksaray, Antalya, Burdur, Isparta, Karaman, Kayseri, Konya, Nevşehir and Niğde provinces are included in the project scope.

Project expectations:

• Development of the inventory system capacity within the Air Emission Management System (HEY) with air quality modeling, GIS (Geographic Information System) and all other Information Technology tools.
• Updating of Clean Air Action Plans for 31 provinces located in South Central Anatolia, Aegean, Middle Black Sea and Mediterranean Regions according to Clean Air Zone distribution.
• Development of city-scale emission reduction strategies and creation of a roadmap that will help improve air quality by raising awareness in society.

Steps taken to raise public awareness:

• Survey studies are being conducted to determine the level of public awareness on air quality issues.
• Workshops on air quality management are being organized. Emission inventory trainings are being conducted. Air quality assessment and modeling trainings are being provided.
• Unique informative content is being developed for selected target groups such as children and the elderly and risk groups such as pregnant women and patients; brochures for this content are being printed and distributed.
• Social media meetings are being held for the younger generation. TV and radio spots are being prepared and shared to enable air quality to be understood by wide audiences.
• Work is being conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Health.
• Activities for the protection of air quality are being carried out in public spaces, schools, provincial and district municipalities. Memorable activities are being planned particularly through entertaining and educational transmission according to primary and secondary education levels.