US Embassies halt public air quality monitoring due to budget cuts

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will no longer share air quality data collected through its embassy monitoring program via the "AirNow" app and other platforms, the U.S. State Department confirmed to CNN.  

The program, which enables local residents and researchers worldwide to analyze and compare air quality in different cities, is being suspended due to funding constraints, according to an official statement. These budget limitations have forced the State Department to shut down the monitoring network. However, embassies and consulates have been directed to continue internal air quality monitoring, and public data sharing may resume if funding is restored in the future.  

The budget cuts are part of a broader initiative by the Donald Trump administration to scale back environmental and climate change programs.  

Monitoring devices installed at U.S. embassies track PM2.5 particles—microscopic pollutants that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system, increasing the risk of respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and premature death. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million deaths annually.