The State Department recently surprised its employees by issuing a directive to halt the publication of air quality monitoring data from embassies and consulates. According to a CBS News report, staff received this communication on March 4. The message indicated that there was no foreseeable date for the resumption of real-time data availability.

The embassy staff and their families depended on these reports to inform them of days with poor air quality. “The announcement left me dumbfounded,” expressed one current employee, who requested anonymity due to job security concerns. The individual added that the decision seemed illogical, given the existing infrastructure for monitoring air quality is already set up and functioning. Another staffer echoed this sentiment, questioning the motive behind discontinuing the data.

Although a State Department spokesperson stated that the air quality monitors were still operational, the transmission of air pollution data from embassies and consulates had ceased due to budgetary restrictions. The department refrained from sharing the cost of running the program when asked.

Rick Duke, former deputy special envoy for climate at the State Department, dismissed the cost argument as insignificant. He suggested that the decision might be more influenced by the Trump administration’s climate skepticism. Duke questioned the logic behind depriving embassy staff and the public of crucial health information.

Air quality monitoring at US embassies informally commenced in 2008 with a single monitor at the Beijing embassy in China. The results were shared hourly on Twitter, keeping the public informed about the city’s air pollution levels. The account, “AirBeijing”, gained popularity in 2010 after tweeting about “Crazy Bad” air quality on November 11th.

The monitoring initiative aimed to keep US citizens in the region informed about the city’s air quality. The local Chinese public also found the information valuable, prompting them to demand their government address the pollution problem, which was often downplayed by local officials.

The State Department eventually expanded the air monitoring to other embassies globally, installing 78 additional monitors. A 2022 scientific study affirmed the success of the embassy program in reducing air pollutants, leading to a significant reduction in premature mortality risk for over 300 million people residing in cities with a US embassy monitor.

However, with the program’s termination, the embassy data webpage now only displays an error message. The last reading from Beijing was posted on March 4, the day the data transmission was halted.

State Department employees informed CBS News that access to air quality data is essential when considering overseas assignments, especially for those relocating their families to places with unhealthy air or unreliable local air monitoring. A department spokesperson assured that the collected air data “will be made available when there is a secure and reliable way to transmit it” and that they were “evaluating other transmission options.” When asked about these other tools, the staff was unaware of any and had no other means to access the information.

This article is suitable for investors or anyone interested in global environmental issues, though that is not the primary focus of the piece.