Fortalecimiento De Las Capacidades de Gestión de la Calidad del Aire y Salud en Centroamérica y República Dominicana

As part of the activities of the project "Central America - Achieving air quality, climate, and health goals", capacity building will support the implementation of improvements in air quality monitoring, as well as the development of a model legislation on air quality and health that can be adopted by the member states of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), together with the Executive Secretariat of COMISCA and the Executive Secretariat of CCAD, the Clean Air Institute and the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley (AMVA), are organising a two and a half day capacity building workshop, that has been held from 12 to 14 march, 2024 at Medellin city in Colombia. 

Outcomes of this workshop are expected to inform next meetings of the SICA Councils of Ministers of Environment and Health. This activity seeks to facilitate the exchange of information, capacity building and promote political support for air quality monitoring and regulatory development in SICA countries. 

Moreover, it is expected to also present the results of the estimation of health benefits to support the updating of national regulations and the progress in the implementation of the Roadmap of the Integrated Program on Air Quality, Climate Change and Health in the region.

The AMVA has prioritised the development of short, medium and long-term policies and programs, and the design of key tools for air quality management such as: 

a) measuring, reporting and verifying the state of air quality, and 

b) stricter regulation than at the national level in terms of emissions from polluting sources, vehicle technologies and fuel quality and air quality standards. 

Among some other aspects to highlight, the AMVA has a robust environmental health surveillance system, monitoring includes 22 reference stations that allow them to communicate air quality on a continuous basis, and an Integrated Air Quality Management Plan (PIGECA) with a vision of different actors (civil society, universities, public sector). 

In addition, the AMVA has a strategy for seeking resources through partnerships with international entities. All these efforts, make Medellin and the municipalities of the Aburrá Valley a leading city in the region in this area and, therefore, constitutes a great opportunity to take advantage of its knowledge, experience and lessons learned for the benefit of the SICA countries.

Participants:
 

• Focal points from the Ministries of Environment and Health designated to follow up on the project in the Central American countries and the Dominican Republic
• SICA: CCAD and SE-COMISCA
• Environment and health authorities of AMVA and Medellin
• PAHO: Advisors in air quality and health and regulation
• UNEP: Regional Coordinator and Environmental Regulation Specialist
• CCAC Regional Air Quality Expert
• Clean Air Insitute specialists