As momentum grows in cities to tackle the global air pollution crisis, data sharing and access to knowledge will be a key catalyst in finding viable solutions. Today, on International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, EDF is proud to announce the publication of the Spanish translation of its guide, Making the Invisible Visible: A guide for mapping hyperlocal air pollution to drive clean air action, expanding reach and knowledge to an additional 570 million Spanish-speakers in 23 countries across the globe.
In fall of 2019, Environmental Defense Fund released this guide for cities and local organizations interested in using hyperlocal air quality data to tailor solutions for air pollution. The guide, Making the Invisible Visible: A guide for mapping hyperlocal air pollution to drive clean air action, offers information and best practices that can help leaders better understand their city’s air quality challenges, how neighborhood-level monitoring can help illuminate them and how to develop a plan to significantly reduce pollution.
The guide received international praise at its debut at the C40 World Mayors Summit held in 2019, especially for how it can be tailored by local leaders to meet their needs, whether they are just now considering hyperlocal air pollution mapping, already collecting data, or are ready to turn their air quality data into smart, local solutions that clean the air and improve local health with an equity and environmental justice focus.
The guide offers a step-by-step process for project design, data analysis and policy development, including lessons learned about the budget, staffing, analysis, and logistics needed to monitor, map, and, ultimately, reduce pollution at the neighborhood level. It also includes a tool for estimating the cost of hyperlocal monitoring, templates and examples of other project materials like MOUs and RFPs, local case studies from our work with key partners in West Oakland and Houston, and more. In particular, it has been instrumental to guide the preparation of the methodology for a proof of concept hyperlocal air quality monitoring in Mexico City, which was recently delivered to the Mexico City Government by EDF and partners, and it is in the first phase of its implementation already.
The translation of the guide, with special attention given to conveying technical terminologies and processes, will broaden access to valuable knowledge and experiences and will contribute to the dissemination and improvement of access to EDF’s work not just in Latin American countries, but Spain and the large Latino community in the United States.
By publishing this guide in Spanish, EDF’s Global Clean Air Initiative is taking a large step forward in scaling its global approach to pioneer worldwide solutions that will promote innovation in regions that are key to tackling the air pollution crisis.