Clean air is essential to a healthy population, a healthy environment, and a healthy economy. Globally, however, poor air quality is linked to millions of premature deaths each year. Industrialization, vehicle emissions, agricultural burning, and forest fires are major drivers of poor air quality. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves and extreme heat which can further exacerbate poor air quality. Similarly, droughts can facilitate catastrophic forest fires which in turn can compromise air quality and public health.
SERVIR uses Earth observations to help decision-makers map sources of air pollution, track how this pollution moves within and across borders, and study how it affects people’s health. Earth observations are also used to measure rainfall and air temperature and improve model forecasts to provide early warning of threats to public health. Together, these warnings are used to inform early actions to reduce or prevent negative impacts on vulnerable populations.
SERVIR works with regional and local partners to support vital air quality monitoring and public health services. Air quality monitoring services can inform locally-led action designed to reduce the negative health consequences of air pollution. These actions can include air quality warnings and emission reduction policies.
In addition, satellite data and forecasts can be leveraged in support of improved human health beyond air quality: other data-driven health opportunities include improved forecasts of the distribution of malaria-carrying mosquitoes and other vector-borne diseases. By predicting where vector or water-borne disease outbreaks are likely to occur, there is opportunity to work with local control programs so that they are better prepared for and able to respond to fluctuations in disease case loads.
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Air Quality Monitoring for Sustainable Landscapes and Better Human Health
Air Quality Monitoring for Sustainable Landscapes and Better Human Health aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience and promote better human health by using air quality data for informing and regulating the management of agricultural burning.
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Monitoring and Prediction of Air Quality and Visibility Reductions in HKH
Air pollution poses a significant environmental and public health threat in the HKH region of south-central Asia, where the air quality frequently reaches unhealthy to hazardous lev
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Satellite Data, Applications Flowing Through SERVIR to Southeast Asia
More than 50 million people in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar draw water for drinking and agriculture from the Mekong River.
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A Steep Climb to Cleaner Air in South Asia
NASA atmospheric scientists and the SERVIR program are working to help keep mountain communities breathing easy.
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Locally Led Development Drives Climate Action at the SERVIR Hindu Kush Himalaya Hub
The SERVIR-HKH hub works with national, regional, and local governments to co-develop tools and services to help mountain communities improve climate resilience and sustainable resource management.
