Air pollution spiked after the Trump administration stopped embassy monitoring

In the early 1990s, Eric Zou experienced severe air pollution in Shanghai, which many mistook for fog. As an environmental economist, Zou highlights how awareness of air pollution grew after the U.S. installed air quality monitors at its Beijing embassy in 2008, making data public and sparking demand for cleaner air. This initiative expanded globally, improving air quality in many countries. However, in March 2025, the Trump administration ended the program, citing costs. Research published in PNAS shows that air pollution levels rose significantly after the program’s closure, indicating its importance. Experts like Andrea La Nauze emphasize the program’s long-term benefits and the risks of halting monitoring. Columbia researcher Zoe Yiyuan Zhou views the program’s end as a unique research opportunity to study the effects of stopping air quality monitoring. QUESTION: How might the increase in air pollution after the program’s closure impact future generations’ health and environment?