ClairCity newsletter ClairCity newsletter December 2019 | Page 6

GreenAnts App
Air quality management apps
are gaining popularity in
Europe as a way for citizens
to actively shape health in
their communities. Last
month we tested ClairCity:
GreenAnts to understand how
this technology can support
future cities.
This month we tested a citizen-
led air quality management app,
developed by our partners NILU
(the Norwegian Institute for Air
Research). Mass participation
and smartphone technology can
be a powerful approach to
environmental monitoring and is
growing in demand. Therefore, we
wanted to explore what people in our
partner cities and regions think of
these types of solutions.
The app allows people to work
together in groups, gathering data on
their transport activities to build a
collective picture of how their travel
influences air pollution exposure. In
doing so, cities can in theory improve
the resolution of monitoring data,
visualise an otherwise invisible
threat, and help businesses,
governments and interest groups to
take action on air quality. We will
update you on what testers thought
next time.
Beyond Business as Usual
In September we
interviewed our head
modeller Kris Vanherle to
learn a bit more about
scientific modelling. This is
an excerpt from our blog.
“When assessing the BAU
scenario in the ClairCity
project, we’ve found that air
quality will improve over time.
This is due to existing policy
measures coming into full
Example of emissions modelling, showing how current pledges
effect, in combination with
(business as usual) will almost certainly exceed 2°C warming.
Source: World bank, Turn down the heat (2012)
generic technological trends.
These trends include the
uptake of electric vehicles and continue to lead to
long-term as it is expected air
lower domestic energy demand exceedances of EU air quality
quality standards will tighten
with new building techniques.
limits in the immediate future.
further as evidence mounts for
the adverse health effects from
However, air pollution is not
...we need strong action to
even low levels of pollution...
solved in full in the BAU
reduce pollution levels
city authorities in particular will
scenario, which means that
immediately. Examples of
have to be more ambitious”.
people will continue to suffer
effective measures to address
the health impacts. Even
this are restricting access for
Read the full interview here:
zero-emission electric vehicles polluting cars in city centres or
www.claircity.eu/2019/09/16/
cannot solve the problem due
banning the use of solid fuels
business-usual-just-not-good-
to particulate matter emitted
for residential heating (and
enough/
from tyre and brake wear and
actually enforcing the ban!).
tear. Moreover, the pace of
improvement is slow and will
Action is also needed in the
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