Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694846125673.pdf (South Africa)
The Impact of Air Pollution on Public Health through the Lens of the South African Weather Service Air Quality Monitoring Programme Katlego Ncongwane Lead Scientist: Health Application Research 28 October 2021 Contributors: Mr Lotta Mayana (SAWS); Dr Melaku Yigiletu (SAWS); Ms Sarah Malatji (SAWS); Dr Caradee Wright (SAMRC) Just Transition_28_October_2021 Outline  Introduction  SAWS Observation Network  SAAQIS Network  Air Pollutants and Quality Management  Air Quality and Human Health Impacts  Concluding Remarks 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 2 Introduction  The South African Weather Service (SAWS) is an entity of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)  SAWS is the authoritative voice for weather and climate in South Africa South African Weather Service Act (No.
8 of 2001)  Mandate:  Provide weather and climate services to all South African citizens  E.g., public good (weather, climate and air quality monitoring services  Sector-specific (and tailor-made) solutions and services South African Weather Service Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No.
48 of 2013)  Mandate:  Maintain, extend and improve the quality of meteorological services for the benefit of all South Africans; include, among others, provisions relating to the  South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) and the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network (NAAQMN) 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 3 SAWS Observation Network  Vast observation network of stations managed by SAWS-including SAAQIS network 1277 Rainfall stations 214 Automatic weather stations 141 Automatic rainfall stations 25 Climate stations 24 Lightning sensors 14 Radars 10 Upper air stations 13 Solar radiation stations 17 UVA & UVB radiation stations 1 Global Atmosphere Watch station 20 Weather Offices 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 4 SAAQIS Network  There are currently 135 government owned stations across the country and 50 private stations Source: Editorial- South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) mobile application tool: bringing real time state of air quality to South Africans 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 5 SAAQIS Website https://saaqis.environment.gov.za/ Just Transition_28_October_2021 SAAQIS APP Available on Android and on IOS Just Transition_28_October_2021  There are many air pollutants that pollutes our environment Air Pollutants Criteria Pollutants Main Sources Carbon monoxide (CO) • Vehicle emissions • Bush fires Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) Sulphur dioxide (SO2) Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5) Ozone (O3) • Vehicle emissions Industry emissions • Power plants • • Gas stoves Power plants • • Oil refineries Industry (mining) • • Vehicle emissions • Dust storms Bush fires • • Not emitted, but form through chemical reaction of gasses in the air air contamination Stricter regulations 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 8 Air Quality Management  Air quality management through air quality limits and thresholds  National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are standards established under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004  Standards specify the level of concentration of number of pollutants that are allowed in the air  Standards are set to protect human health (mostly the vulnerable), animals and properties  Each locality and country set standards depending on number of local conditions  Technological feasibility (electric cars)  Economical factors (investments)  Political and social factors Is there compliance to the set air quality standards?
2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 9 Unhealthy levels of Air Pollution Non-compliance in O3, PM10 and PM2,5 Summary of Exceedances of Ambient Air Quality Standards record at VTPAMN (01 January 2021 – 31 July 2021) 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 10 JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberZamdela001816182265Three Rivers001219982270Sharpeville0Sebokeng00059132047Kliprivier000813122255Diepkloof00010023Zamdela00148171747Three Rivers002867326Sharpeville0Sebokeng10028121538Kliprivier100615141349Diepkloof10010114Zamdela0000091019Three Rivers00022026Sharpeville0Sebokeng00000011Kliprivier00005005Diepkloof00000000Zamdela00000325Three Rivers00011013Sharpeville0Sebokeng00000000Kliprivier00003003Diepkloof00000000Zamdela00000000Three Rivers00000000Sharpeville0Sebokeng00000000Kliprivier00000000Diepkloof00000000Zamdela00000000Three Rivers00000000Sharpeville00000000Sebokeng0Kliprivier00001001Diepkloof00000000Zamdela274000013Three Rivers22612104550Sharpville00000000Sebokeng20000013Kliprivier1039000022Diepkloof00000000Zamdela00000000Three Rivers00000000Sharpeville00000000Sebokeng00000000Kliprivier00000000Diepkloof00000000Zamdela00000000Three Rivers00000000Sharpeville00000000Sebokeng00000000Kliprivier00000000Diepkloof00000000CO 8h (calculated on 1 hourly averages)8.7 ppm11O3 8h (Running)61 ppb11CO 1h26 ppm88SO2 24h48 ppb4NO2 1h106 ppb88SO2 10 min 191 ppb526SO2 1h134 ppb88PM1024h75 µgm-34PM2.5 24h40 µgm-34Total Exceedances to DatePollutant & Averaging PeriodStandardAnnual Number of Permitted ExceedancesStation NameExceedances Per Month Unhealthy levels of Air Pollution Non-compliance in O3, PM10 and PM2,5 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 11 Air Pollution, Human Health and Well-being  Air quality is an important public health issue  Exposure to air pollution cause short-term and long-term health effects  Health effects depend on number of factors (type of pollutant, concentration, length of exposure and individual characteristics)  Symptoms vary from minor (irritation
 of the nose, eyes and throat) to severe medical conditions such as: lung diseases, heart diseases, stroke and cancers)  Increase in hospital admission and mortality  The most vulnerable include the elderly, children under the age of 5, people with pre-existing chronic or lung diseases Just Transition_28_October_2021 Air Pollution, Human Health and Well-Being Global Perspective  92% of the world's population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits  Exposure to air pollution causes millions of premature deaths and healthy years of life lost every year [WHO 2021 AQ Guidelines]  About 7 million people are killed by air pollution annually [https://www.who.int/health- topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1]  Of that, about 4.2 million people exposed to ambient air pollution die from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and acute and chronic respiratory diseases [https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_2]  Low- and middle-income countries, and vulnerable groups such as children, women and people with pre-existing diseases are at greatest risk  Exposure to household air pollution is a leading cause of disease and premature death in the above-mentioned countries and groups  In 2013, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified outdoor air pollution and specifically Particulate Matter as carcinogenic [WHO 2021 AQ Guidelines] 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 13 Air Pollution, Human Health and Well-being South African Perspective  Few local studies on air quality and human health  Evidence on air pollution and human health is growing (through research and publication output)  Local scientists are conducting research that will inform policy to transit to low carbon economy  Previous studies estimated:  In 2000, outdoor pollution contributed 4% to national mortality from cardiopulmonary disease and 5% attributable to cancers of the trachea, bronchus and lungs in adults 30 years and older
 [Norman et al., 2007, S Afr Med J]  In 2000, household air pollution affected 20% of households in South Africa and caused 2 500 deaths mainly among Black Africans [Norman et al., 2007, S Afr Med J]  7.4% of all deaths in South Africa in 2012 were due to chronic exposure to fine PM, costing the country up to 6% of its GDP (IGC study, 2016)  In 2016 PM emissions caused 305 to 650 deaths in the Highveld Priority Area [Gray 2016] Just Transition_28_October_2021 SAWS contribution to Air Quality and Human Health Research  SAWS in collaboration with South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Department of Health (DoH) has completed the National Burden of Disease (NBD) study attributable to ambient air pollution  The following diseases attributed to poor air quality were assessed:  Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (LRTIs)  Trachea  Bronchus  Lung cancers  Diabetes  Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD)  Stroke  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)  The impacts are presented at both national and provincial scales in terms of death, disability- adjusted life years, years of life lost, and years of life lived with a disability  The NBD study is currently under review and will be released soon by the Department of Health along with SAWS and SAMRC  The outcome of the NBD will be communicated to the public, scientific communities, as well as to both regional and national decision/policy makers through scientific publications and etc Just Transition_28_October_2021 SAWS contribution to Air Quality and Human Health Product: Scenario-Based Air Pollution Management Tool  Quantile downscaling of sector-based emission scenarios and multi-scenario model simulations for Mpumalanga  The product package includes 4 major components: i. Downscaled localized emission estimates ii.
Spatio-temporal distributions and threshold of photochemical pollutants iii.

iv.
Sector-based simulations of photochemical pollutants  Benefits Support provincial and national policies and strategies on Air quality and health long-term climatological information Just Transition_28_October_2021 Concluding Remarks  South Africans are affected and vulnerable to poor air quality  Mortality and morbidity cases are high, straining our health system  Enforce compliance through targeted regulatory actions on taxes and polluting activities  Reduce sources of air pollutants by adopting low emissions technologies (shift to energy efficient and cleaner energy sources and public transportation)  Behavioral changes in business model and lifestyle (e.g., travel actively (walking and cycling), car sharing, teleconferencing, teleworking)  Improve monitoring (more stations should report to SAAQIS)  Expand scientific research to inform policy  Conduct cost-benefit analysis studies that will determine the impact of air pollution on the economy of South Africa  Seize low carbon opportunities across all sectors  Decarbonized economic growth that “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages" (SDG 3) 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 17 Thank you 2021/11/01 Just Transition_28_October_2021 18