North American Environmental Monitoring: AirNow-International Impact Assessment and Citizen Science Expansion Feasibility Study
Financed by: Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).
Location: Canada, United States and Mexico.
Year: 2020.
Project description
In 2020, the Clean Air Institute carried out two complementary studies for the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), both focused on strengthening environmental monitoring and cooperation across North America.
Long-term impact assessment of AirNow-International (2010–2015)
CAI analyzed the objectives, justification, implementation, and results of CEC projects linked to the AirNow-International system between 2010 and 2015. The assessment included:
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Compiling, reviewing, and analyzing key project documents and reports.
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Conducting consultations with authorities, stakeholders, and specialists involved in the CEC project, as well as air quality monitoring and management experts in Mexico.
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Evaluating performance indicators and targets achieved during the period.
The evaluation provided CEC and its partners with recommendations to support the continued development of the AirNow-International platform.
Feasibility study for expanding citizen science networks
CAI also assessed the feasibility of expanding two citizen science initiatives — the Collaborative Community Network on Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) and the Smoke Sense Citizen Science Initiative — across North America, to help close gaps in the monitoring of precipitation events and forest fires. The study included:
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Reviewing the experience of CoCoRaHS and Smoke Sense in the United States and Canada.
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Consulting with Mexican and Canadian stakeholders on their interest and capacity to participate in a potential expansion.
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Identifying obstacles, advantages, and added value of scaling up both initiatives.
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Preparing a roadmap for expansion in each country.
The study found that expanding both networks would significantly enrich available data and strengthen communities' capacity to anticipate and respond to extreme precipitation and wildfire events.
