Establishment of an environmental monitoring network
The environmental issue in the air component starts with carrying out atmospheric modeling of the study sector. To this end, Air quality monitoring stations are established by locating stations with EMRP population representation; these must be located within a minimum urban area of 2 km in diameter for it to be represented.
The monitoring network must be minimally supported by a tripartite Quality Assurance team, a Quality Control unit and an information distribution unit.
Quality Assurance's mission is to support the monitoring unit with resources, the Control unit's mission is traceability, calibration and cross-referencing of results between its equipment and other reference equipment. "Shifts from the zero value, saturation of the monitors, unforeseen non-common and focused emission sources, power outages and those escaped values that induce a poor prognosis of an Environmental Emergency must be detected.
The mission of the information unit is to provide availability and analysis of information by creating informative models of pollution of the air component.
To select the most appropriate places with the proposed monitoring objectives, it is necessary to manage information that includes, among other factors:
• - Location of emission sources in geographic coordinates denoted in a GIS system.
• - Geographic variability or spatial distribution of pollutant concentrations, pollutant hourly cycles, transportation, pollutant formation processes.
• - Meteorological and climatic conditions, wind regime, climatic and atmospheric modeling, rainfall, daily temperatures, seasonal and/or influenced by climatic phenomena, solar radiation, relative humidity, topography.
• - Density of the population and the location, extent and composition of the resources to be preserved. Additionally, biotopes to preserve, a registry of exotic and endemic fauna and flora.
• - Inventory of fixed and mobile emission sources.
• - Identification of latent and saturated areas.
• - Authorized or illegal burning of grasslands.
These points lead to establishing atmospheric pollution models and evaluating air quality.
Directive 2001/81/EC, of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 23 October 2001, on national emission ceilings for certain air pollutants,[34] aims to limit emissions of pollutants to reinforce the protection of the environment and human health and move towards the objective of not exceeding critical levels of pollutants and of effectively protecting the entire population against the health risks arising from air pollution through setting national emission ceilings.
The Clean Air for Europe program is a coherent thematic strategy to combat air pollution and its effects.[35] This program has been developed by the Sixth Environment Action Program recently approved by the Commission (COM (2001) 31 of 24.01.2001). This strategy consists of evaluating the implementation of air quality directives and the effectiveness of air quality programs in Member States. It also aims to improve air quality control and the dissemination of information to the public through the use of indicators. Finally, priorities will be established for the adoption of new measures, examining and updating air quality thresholds and national maximum emission limits.
It includes multiple and varied objectives in order to improve the quality of life of the populations of Europe. Preventing diseases and protecting the environment that surrounds us will be some of the priority objectives that will be developed throughout the proposed strategy. However, we must also mention some more specific objectives that will improve the technical analysis work, in order to improve air quality policy.
As a measure to encourage compliance with the ceilings, the directive obliges Member States to develop national programs for the progressive reduction of emissions. Spain has prepared by Agreement of the Council of Ministers "Council of Ministers (Spain)") of December 7 the II National Emissions Reduction Program (Resolution of January 14, 2008, of the General Secretariat for the Prevention of Pollution and Climate Change. BOE no. 25, 01.29.08).
• - Law 34/2007, of November 15, on air quality and protection of the atmosphere. ORDER MAM/1444/2006, of May 9.
It establishes the bases for the prevention, surveillance and reduction of atmospheric pollution in order to avoid and when this is not possible, reduce the damage that may arise from it for people, the environment and other assets of any nature.
The general objective of said law is to develop an integrated long-term strategic policy to protect human health and the environment from the effects of air pollution. In accordance with the treaty, this policy will aim to ensure a high level of environmental protection based on the precautionary principle, taking the best available scientific and technical data and the benefits and burdens that may result from action or inaction.
• - Law 26/2007, of October 23, on Environmental Liability incorporates into our legal system an administrative regime of environmental liability of an objective and unlimited nature based on the principles of prevention and that "the polluter pays."[36].
• - Royal Decree 102/2011, of January 28, regarding the improvement of air quality.
In Spain, there are currently various air pollution monitoring networks in operation", installed in the different autonomous communities and which carry out measurements of a wide range of pollutants ranging from sulfur and nitrogen oxides to hydrocarbons, with particle capture systems), carbon monoxide, ozone, heavy metals, among others.[37].
Mexico and Latin America
In Mexico, through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the ProAire programs respond to the need of the states to have a preventive and/or corrective instrument in matters of air quality and health protection, as well as to comply with the legal framework applicable in this matter. Through these programs, aspects such as the following are achieved:[38].
• - Promote the participation of the three levels of government (federal, state and municipal), as well as industry, academia and organized civil society, in addressing the problem of air pollution.
• - Generate a diagnosis of the causes that influence air quality in the study area.
• - Identify the main sources of air pollutant emissions.
• - Define measures and actions focused on reducing emissions, institutional strengthening, health protection, communication strategies and environmental education.
Mainly, in cities such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, air quality is constantly monitored due to their high concentrations of pollutants on various days of the year.
Each country should have its own set of standards that it aspires to achieve, or has achieved and is working to safeguard the health of its people.
In Latin America, many Latin American countries do not have national standards for PM2.5. This is a fundamental pollutant with respect to its serious health implications, but also due to the fact that a reduction in this pollutant also results in the decrease of black carbon (soot). The introduction of a standard would also mean that nations will have to invest in some monitoring capacity.[39].
• - Photochemical smog.
• - Gray smog.
• - History of environmental pollution.
• - Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
• - Common resources.
• - Tragedy of the commons.
• - 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning Heavy Metals.
• - Air pollution kills seven million people a year in the world according to the WHO.
• - If you live less than 400 meters from a highway, you may not be breathing as well.