NAWE
61
20
non-NAWE
41 26
72
32
72
34
83
37
31
4000
1 11
10
1
38
2
61
2
90
4
12
10
14
02
2000
19
76
NUMBER OF STATIONS
00
45
96
52
00
53
98
56
53
6000
0 CO NO₂ TSP Pb PM10 NOX inO₃ Figure 9. Number of monitoring stations developed (NorthPM2.5 America andVOC Western Europe, here called NAWE) versus developing countries (non-NAWE). (Data source: Rudolph Husar and Stefan Falke, for GEO Task US-09-01a.27 Figure from Hsu et al., 2013.28)
of combustion, whether anthropogenic, like car emissions and coal burning, or vulnerable lungs, high concentrations of PM2.5 can be a particularly virulent killer. The leading cause of mortality among
major global contributor to its incidence.25 Despite its known health impacts, many countries do not monitor PM2.5, usually because of lack of capacity, resources, technology, or public demand. Monitoring gaps primarily occur in developing 25
countries outside of North America and Western Europe, where air pollution is more severe (see Figure 9).26 Given the sparseness of ground-based monitors, the EPI collaborated with Dalhousie University researchers who use satellite data to assess global, national exposure to PM2.5. Unlike ground-based monitors, which are primarily concentrated in urban areas and can be sporadically stationed, satellite data provide consistent and complete values using the same methods and technology for every country. With this satellite data, the 2014 EPI can
World Health Organization. (2013) Children: reducing mortality. Available: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/ fs178/en/index.html. Last accessed: December 29, 2013. 26 Engel-Cox, J., Kim Oanh, N. T., van Donkelaar, A., et al. (2013) Toward the next generation of air quality monitoring: Particulate Matter. Atmospheric Environment 27 Group on Earth Observations. (2010) GEO Task US09-01a: Earth Observation Priorities for Health SBA- Air Quality Sub-Area 2014. 28
Atmospheric Environment
51 2014 EPI