Monitoring urban air pollution

in developing countries

Air pollution, a major public health issue

In many urban environments, local air pollution has become a central issue. Even though urban air pollution mainly affected Western countries in the 1990s, respiratory allergies are now increasingly reported in the large urban areas of developing countries as well.

Mounting evidence suggests that air pollution contributes to the large global burden of respiratory and allergic diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and possibly tuberculosis. Although associations between air pollution and respiratory disease are complex, recent epidemiologic studies have led to an increased recognition of the emerging importance of traffic-related air pollution in both developed and less-developed countries, as well as the continued importance of emissions from domestic fires burning biomass fuels primarily in the less-developed world.

Respiratory Health Effects of Air Pollution: Update on Biomass Smoke and Traffic Pollution
Robert J. Laumbach, MD, MPH and Howard M. Kipen, MD, MPH, 2012.

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Mounting evidence suggests that air pollution contributes to the large global burden of respiratory and allergic diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and possibly tuberculosis. Although associations between air pollution and respiratory disease are complex, recent epidemiologic studies have led to an increased recognition of the emerging importance of traffic-related air pollution in both developed and less-developed countries, as well as the continued importance of emissions from domestic fires burning biomass fuels primarily in the less-developed world.

Respiratory Health Effects of Air Pollution: Update on Biomass Smoke and Traffic Pollution
Robert J. Laumbach, MD, MPH and Howard M. Kipen, MD, MPH, 2012.

”

Forecasting air pollution to prevent respiratory distress

92%
of the world population lives in places where the WHO air quality guidelines levels are not met (2014).
3 million
premature deaths are caused by ambient outdoor air pollution in both cities and rural areas worldwide (2012).
88%
of those premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and the greatest number in the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions.

World Health Organization (WHO) – 2016.

To protect sensitive populations and prevent respiratory distress, high quality forecasts of urban air pollution are an essential tool to alert local populations in time.

This is even more important in developing countries, where medical care is not available to all and the risk of premature death is higher. However, in developing countries, local solutions to inform populations are often scarce. This is where WeatherForce steps in.

To fill the information gap in developing countries and inform users on air pollution, WeatherForce closely works together with every country’s National Meteorology and Hydrology Service. The NMHS provide their expertise in local meteorology and high-risk areas while the WeatherForce team adds expert know-how in weather technology. This partnership enables us to offer highly precise, highly local and properly certified information on air quality to all.

Good intentions and strategies alone don’t make change happen: data, benchmarks, measurable targets, timetables, political decisions, strategies, visions and reporting systems are needed.

SD21 Division for Sustainable Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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THE CUSTOM WEATHERFORCE APP FOR WORLDWIDE AIR POLLUTION ALERTS

The custom Weatherforce app for worldwide air pollution alerts

The WeatherForce air pollution app focuses on atmospheric forecasts and can be used from any location on earth. It also integrates local data from private monitoring stations, when available.

The app is designed to fit the specific needs of local populations and inform them on declining air quality to safeguard their health. It’s very user-friendly and can be branded by city governments and local authorities which aim to provide an extra service to local inhabitants. WeatherForce apps can also be customized for industries, unions and health agencies to monitor local pollution peaks.

high precision technology every step of the way

thanks to our partnerships with national weather services, the WeatherForce app includes:
earth with weather clouds icon

atmospheric forecasts

wind icon

information on air quality

smoke pollution icon

smoke dispersion forecasts

urban air pollution sand cloud icon

Sand clouds

urbain air pollution rotation

pollens

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uv rays

WeatherForce aims to extend the reach of our app and integrate notifications on local allergens, according to locally defined thresholds. Ultimately, we want to make sure all sensitive populations are properly informed on potential risk situations and receive efficient behavioral recommendations to protect themselves.
satellite weather data icon

Data from global digital weather forecasting models issued by ECMWF and Météo-France.

national weather service icon

Expertise in local meteorology from the national weather service for forecasts and alerts.

weather box icon farmers, hissing, energy, cities

Data processing to calculate air quality index an send notifications to local users.

weather force farmers weather forecast app

24/7 secure mobile applications, SMS, web

National broadcasting relayed by local mobile operators

Learn more
For more information on our air pollution & weathers apps

please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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