Japanese grant to be spent on development of air quality control  system 

ArmInfo. In Armenia, work on developing an air quality monitoring system will be continued with a grant from the Japanese government.

At a meeting on July 10, the RA government approved for signing a  draft grant agreement between Armenia and Japan.

As emphasized in the justification for the draft decision, within the  framework of the grant, it is planned to modernize 3 observation  stations of the air quality monitoring network, which will be  equipped with modern equipment of the Japanese brand Horiba for  automatic measurement of the concentration of pollutants in the air.  The justification notes that improving air quality is a complex  process that requires deep knowledge of both air pollution and the  causes of climate change. Monitoring air pollution is important for  understanding and preventing air pollution, assessing emission  sources, protecting human health and nature, creating sustainable  cities, mitigating the effects of climate change, adapting to it, and  combating the impact of greenhouse gases. In the era of rapid  development of modern technologies, monitoring systems require  constant modernization and implementation of innovative approaches to  meet both national and international requirements and accountability  obligations.

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia, represented  by the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center SNCO, is the only  organization implementing state monitoring of atmospheric air  quality. Currently, the Center monitors atmospheric air pollution  through a hybrid observation network. It consists of 16 main  stationary and 229 mobile (passive) observation points. Atmospheric  air quality monitoring is carried out in the cities of Yerevan,  Gyumri, Vanadzor, Alaverdi, Hrazdan, Ararat, Charentsavan, Kapan,  Kajaran and Tsaghkadzor, as well as in Amberd (regional transboundary  air pollution assessment station). Average daily concentrations of  pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level  ozone (only in Yerevan) and dust are observed in the atmospheric air.  Monitoring of atmospheric precipitation composition is also carried  out at Tsaghkadzor and Amberd observation points.

Currently, the air pollution monitoring system in the Republic of  Armenia does not meet modern requirements both in terms of the  technologies used and the parameters monitored. In order to monitor  air pollution in the Republic of Armenia using modern technologies  and bring them into line with the requirements of the Republic of  Armenia and international standards, it is necessary to supplement  the air quality monitoring system with the latest technologies for  studying the main air pollutants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides,  carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, suspended particles, which will  allow obtaining information on air pollution in real time, promptly  identifying and responding to situations hazardous to human health,  as well as predicting the future pollution picture. Currently, the  Air Quality Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Environment is  modernizing the air quality monitoring system of Yerevan. This is  part of the decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia  dated November 18, 2021. As part of the modernization, two air  quality monitoring reference stations were purchased in 2024 with  state funding, which will allow accurate measurements of the main  pollutants in the air.