A federal study has found that the termination of a decades-old air quality monitoring program at U.S. embassies abroad resulted in a significant rise in local pollution levels, with estimates suggesting increases between 24% and 33%. The data collection effort, which had been in place for years, was discontinued under the Trump administration, raising concerns about the impact on public health and environmental oversight. Researchers warn that the loss of this monitoring could hinder efforts to track and address pollution trends in regions where embassies were previously stationed. The findings highlight a potential gap in global air quality surveillance following the program’s shutdown.
In 2025, the Trump administration ended a long-running program to collecting air pollution data at U.S. embassies. A new study suggests that led to a 24-33% increase in local pollution levels.
