EPA Administrator Regan inaugurates U.S. Embassy air quality monitor in Maputo, Mozambique

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EPA Administrator Regan inaugurates U.S. Embassy air quality monitor in Maputo, Mozambique

11:52 CAT | 23 Jan 2024

In the center of the photo, from the second from the left to the right: The Air Quality Monitor Specialist John Wilbur, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan, the U.S. Ambassador Peter H. Vrooman, the Air Quality Monitor Specialist, Nancy Wilbur, Dr. Adérito Aramuge, Director of the National Institute of Meteorology and Prof. António Santos Matos, Chairman of the Board of Maputo’s Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMT) and other U.S. Embassy staff at the inauguration of the air quality monitor at a U.S. Embassy facility in Maputo. [Photo: US Embassy in Mozambique]

On Monday, United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan and U.S. Ambassador Peter H. Vrooman joined Prof. António Santos Matos, Chairman of the Board of Maputo’s Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMT), and Dr. Adérito Aramuge, Director of the National Institute of Meteorology, to inaugurate an air quality monitor at a U.S. Embassy facility in Maputo.

“Monitoring air quality is vital for collective efforts to protect the health of those we serve,” said U.S. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I’m proud to be in Mozambique to mark its entry into our global network of air quality monitors. We are also pleased to offer training to Mozambique government officials on modeling air quality, as part of its efforts to combat pollution.”

Air quality data from this new monitor will soon be available on EPA’s AirNow.gov website, enabling the public and government decision makers to track air quality in real time. “Poor air quality affects us all, but it can be particularly acute for vulnerable communities,” Ambassador Vrooman said at the inauguration. “Consistent, transparent, and reliable air quality monitoring is the first step to addressing these environmental challenges.”

I’m proud to showcase our new air quality monitors here in Mozambique — adding to our worldwide monitoring network operating in 50+ countries. Poor air quality goes beyond international borders, and today’s action reaffirms @EPA’s commitment to cleaner air everywhere. pic.twitter.com/zrTS14Z3wA

— Michael Regan, U.S. EPA (@EPAMichaelRegan) January 22, 2024

The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. EPA are working together to record and make publicly available the air quality measurements nearly 80 embassies and consulates overseas that provide local communities with the information they need to make informed health decisions. Air pollution is linked to significant health effects — and those effects may be more severe for people with heart or lung disease, children, and older adults. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 90 percent of the world’s population is exposed to hazardous levels of air pollution. The air quality monitor measures an air pollutant called PM 2.5, also referred to as “soot,” which are particles small enough to enter one’s lungs or bloodstream.

READ: Administrator Regan to highlight climate, equity, and youth leadership in visits to Mozambique and Ghana

I was honored to see Minister of Land & Environment Ivete Maibaze again, but this time on my first day in Mozambique. The Minister and I continued our discussion of shared environmental priorities and commitment to building an even deeper partnership to build solutions together. pic.twitter.com/8WlotDEAAS

— Michael Regan, U.S. EPA (@EPAMichaelRegan) January 22, 2024