Has Iran Become the Latest Smog Victim?

Tehran has become the latest city to fall victim to a pollution crisis, with smog blanketing the Iranian capital for days on end. The heavy pollution levels have compelled the government to close many schools in the region earlier this month, while poor air quality is also thought to have led to hundreds of deaths in the last few weeks alone.

The Moderate Imaging Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a sophisticated imaging device on a NASA satellite, was able to provide the image above which clearly shows a concentration of grey smog clouds above the Iranian capital.

Breaking records

Levels of the contaminant particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) reached unprecedented highs in November, with a peak of 156 micrograms per cubic metre recorded on the 9^th. For reference, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has a recommended “safe” level of no more than 50 micrograms per cubic metre, while anything above 101 is feared to be very dangerous to sensitive sections of society. These include the elderly, the infirm and the very young.

Indeed, the results of this year’s smog can already be seen. Tehran’s municipal council reported on the 15^th of the month that 412 citizens had been killed by poor air quality in the preceding 23 days. The health ministry for the country estimated that 4,500 residents of the city died as a result of pollution in 2012, with 80,000 premature deaths nationwide.

“In the past several days or so [it has] been really bad,” explained Amin Dezfuli, a NASA scientist who lived in the city between 2001 and 2006. “That was one of the reasons I wanted to leave Tehran.” The city suffers from poor quality every winter. This is due to the fact that the colder air becomes trapped at ground level by a layer of warmer air above and the surrounding mountains at the side, preventing the contaminants from dissipating effectively.

A global crisis

Of course, Tehran is not the only city to grapple with air quality issues. This month has seen New Delhi dominate environmental headlines due to the persistence of smog over its environs, brought about as a result of the Diwali festival celebrations in late October.

Though the release of fireworks exacerbated the problem, the current smog in Delhi is far from a one-off when it comes to poor air quality in India. A huge population, accompanied by the widespread use of passenger cars and a rapidly growing industry relying on fossil fuels has contributed to serious atmospheric concerns over the Asian nation.

Meanwhile, closer to home, London has been wrestling with its own air quality issues for years. It has failed to meet EU standards time and time again, incurring fines from the EU and inviting prosecution from the environmental law firm ClientEarth. The government have lost every court case they have faced against ClientEarth.

What can be done?

As with any problem of this complexity and magnitude, flexibility is the key to solving air pollution abatement challenges. Firstly, a comprehensive air quality monitoring system needs to be put in place across Iran so that the extent of the problem can be determined and appropriate measures can be taken.

Secondly, the proliferation of old cars, buses and taxis on Tehran’s roads emit higher levels of pollution than newer models. This problem has been made more difficult by the embargo imposed upon the country, preventing the importation of foreign car models, while native manufacturers have been turning a blind eye to the problem.

Additionally, the Iranian government must devote time and resources to improving the capital’s public transportation network. With an ever-increasing populace, people need to be given a feasible alternative to making their way to work if they are to curb their polluting habits. Only then will Iran’s yearly air quality issues begin to subside.