Spain's RESPIRE project pushes boundaries with a focus on enhancing 'air cleanliness'

In urban environments across Spain, a concerning portion of the population is exposed to contaminant levels that surpass recommendations from international organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). To address this issue, a groundbreaking project called RESPIRE has been launched.

Led by the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC) and the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), the RESPIRE project is a significant advancement in the monitoring and management of air quality in Spain. The initiative is a collaboration between public entities, combining advanced operational and technological capabilities.

One of the project's innovative developments is the use of automatic learning methods to generate detailed maps of air quality and predict the probability of legal contamination limits being exceeded in urban areas. The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) aims to optimize emission estimates, improving the accuracy of predictive models.

The precision achieved in emission estimation will significantly improve atmospheric modeling, facilitating the implementation of measures in fields such as public health, urban planning, and environmental management. The project will also contribute to a more effective response to environmental risks by permitting more precise tracking of contamination levels and global warming gases.

The RESPIRE project focuses on developing high-precision tools for quantifying emissions from human activities, both in terms of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases. The generation of these data is essential for advancing scientific research and supporting strategic environmental mitigation decisions, at both local and national levels.

Moreover, knowledge transfer actions, such as training workshops, are being carried out to promote the use of the RESPIRE system among various actors. This methodology is based on the integration of the urban model CALIOPE-Urban with extensive databases, allowing hourly and street-scale representations of contaminant concentrations.

Air pollution and climate change have direct effects on public health, general well-being, and economic development. Pioneering projects like RESPIRE are essential for caring for air quality as they represent a shared responsibility that directly impacts quality of life, ecological balance, and sustainable development of the planet.

The project will improve the national air quality prediction system with an inventory of primary contaminant emissions of unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, covering the entire territory, including the Canary Islands. Through the application of advanced technologies and institutional collaboration, RESPIRE contributes decisively to understanding and mitigating the effects of atmospheric pollution and climate change.

Spain's RESPIRE project pushes boundaries with a focus on enhancing 'air cleanliness'