Fundamental questions such as these aid in design
of mitigation strategies, monitoring strategies and
technologies, and can inform policy. They can
also suggest reasons why pollution is a problem
and which kinds of problems can be expected
from particular pollutants.
Questions of type 4 are directly relevant to
sustainability. A sustainable system would not
involve emissions rates higher than the rate at
which pollutants are rendered benign. Answers
to questions of type 4 should inform allowable
rates of emissions.
Questions Connecting Air Pollution to
Problems
Question types 5–7 help to establish connections
between air pollution and the problems that make
air pollution a subject of concern and make monitoring a necessary mitigation strategy. Without
questions such as these, other types of air pollution
questions loose much of their practical application.
These questions are central in “risk-based” air pollution management strategies, which frame acceptable levels of pollution in terms of the degree to
which their effects are deemed acceptable.
Examination of these questions shows how
established air pollution objectives affect the
research agenda. As has been discussed, governments tend to emphasize the impacts of air pollution on health, some selected environmental
issues, and the economy. As a result, research
questions of types 5–7 more frequently attempt
to make connections to these issues as opposed to
issues given less attention such as the effects of air
pollution on overall quality of life or the health of
other species. (Climate change is a notable exception, however, and does receive much attention).
Question 7 covers a broad area of research and
is often split into several questions investigating
the effects of air pollution on climate change,
acidification, ozone depletion, economic damages, and other unintended consequences of air
pollution. If the focus of air pollution monitoring
is to shift toward sustainability, these types of
questions will join health-related questions as
questions of central importance.
Questions connecting air pollution to impacts
require continual study. Previously unrecognized
or underappreciated issues may be found to be of
great importance, thus warranting a change in
monitoring. Furthermore, relationships between
air pollution and its impacts can change over
time, meaning that the nature of established relationships requires
continual
monitoring.
Weatherhead and Anderson’s 2006 [73] study is
an example of the understanding of a relationship
changing as a result of continued questioning. The
assumption was that the ozone layer would regain
its former abilities as CFC concentrations
declined. However, other anthropogenic factors
are playing a role in reducing the rate of recovery,
despite a decline in CFCs [73]. Airborne PM is
another example. Monitoring first dictated that
total suspended particulate (TSP) be measured.
However, monitoring evolved with increased
understanding of health effects and the nature of
PM. This increased understanding, itself facilitated by monitoring, recommended that attention
be paid to specific size fractions of PM, first PM 10 ,
and later PM 2.5 . If connections to problems are not
continually reviewed, monitoring can lose it relevance to its objectives.
Research Questions and the Development of
Air Pollution Monitoring Questions about the
nature of air pollution can aid development of new
monitoring technologies and deployment strategies. For example, Miffre, et al. [77] reveals information about the differences between air pollution
concentrations at ground level and at 50 m above
ground. The findings show when it is valid to
assume that ground-level monitoring is sufficient
in estimating concentrations at higher elevations
and when it is not. This study and studies asking
similar questions directly inform how much information can be taken from a given monitoring
practice and when more monitoring is necessary,
increasing the potential for optimally efficient
monitoring. Questions connecting air pollution
to problems can guide monitoring so that it is
more likely to take place at the point in a pollutants life-cycle that is most directly related to the
problems of concern. If monitoring can take place,
where it is most relevant to problems arising from
air pollution, it will be more efficient and will
yield the most relevant and useful results.
Air Pollution Monitoring and Sustainability
397
of mitigation strategies, monitoring strategies and
technologies, and can inform policy. They can
also suggest reasons why pollution is a problem
and which kinds of problems can be expected
from particular pollutants.
Questions of type 4 are directly relevant to
sustainability. A sustainable system would not
involve emissions rates higher than the rate at
which pollutants are rendered benign. Answers
to questions of type 4 should inform allowable
rates of emissions.
Questions Connecting Air Pollution to
Problems
Question types 5–7 help to establish connections
between air pollution and the problems that make
air pollution a subject of concern and make monitoring a necessary mitigation strategy. Without
questions such as these, other types of air pollution
questions loose much of their practical application.
These questions are central in “risk-based” air pollution management strategies, which frame acceptable levels of pollution in terms of the degree to
which their effects are deemed acceptable.
Examination of these questions shows how
established air pollution objectives affect the
research agenda. As has been discussed, governments tend to emphasize the impacts of air pollution on health, some selected environmental
issues, and the economy. As a result, research
questions of types 5–7 more frequently attempt
to make connections to these issues as opposed to
issues given less attention such as the effects of air
pollution on overall quality of life or the health of
other species. (Climate change is a notable exception, however, and does receive much attention).
Question 7 covers a broad area of research and
is often split into several questions investigating
the effects of air pollution on climate change,
acidification, ozone depletion, economic damages, and other unintended consequences of air
pollution. If the focus of air pollution monitoring
is to shift toward sustainability, these types of
questions will join health-related questions as
questions of central importance.
Questions connecting air pollution to impacts
require continual study. Previously unrecognized
or underappreciated issues may be found to be of
great importance, thus warranting a change in
monitoring. Furthermore, relationships between
air pollution and its impacts can change over
time, meaning that the nature of established relationships requires
continual
monitoring.
Weatherhead and Anderson’s 2006 [73] study is
an example of the understanding of a relationship
changing as a result of continued questioning. The
assumption was that the ozone layer would regain
its former abilities as CFC concentrations
declined. However, other anthropogenic factors
are playing a role in reducing the rate of recovery,
despite a decline in CFCs [73]. Airborne PM is
another example. Monitoring first dictated that
total suspended particulate (TSP) be measured.
However, monitoring evolved with increased
understanding of health effects and the nature of
PM. This increased understanding, itself facilitated by monitoring, recommended that attention
be paid to specific size fractions of PM, first PM 10 ,
and later PM 2.5 . If connections to problems are not
continually reviewed, monitoring can lose it relevance to its objectives.
Research Questions and the Development of
Air Pollution Monitoring Questions about the
nature of air pollution can aid development of new
monitoring technologies and deployment strategies. For example, Miffre, et al. [77] reveals information about the differences between air pollution
concentrations at ground level and at 50 m above
ground. The findings show when it is valid to
assume that ground-level monitoring is sufficient
in estimating concentrations at higher elevations
and when it is not. This study and studies asking
similar questions directly inform how much information can be taken from a given monitoring
practice and when more monitoring is necessary,
increasing the potential for optimally efficient
monitoring. Questions connecting air pollution
to problems can guide monitoring so that it is
more likely to take place at the point in a pollutants life-cycle that is most directly related to the
problems of concern. If monitoring can take place,
where it is most relevant to problems arising from
air pollution, it will be more efficient and will
yield the most relevant and useful results.
Air Pollution Monitoring and Sustainability
397