Satellite images highlight reduction of air pollution

A team of researchers have suggested air pollution levels in the vicinity of coal-fired power plants in the US have fallen significantly.

For the first time, scientists have used images recorded by Nasa satellites to back up figures on the ground that hinted levels of harmful emissions released by such facilities were in decline.

The team - led by an Environment Canada researcher - discovered that pollutants had diminished by nearly 50 per cent since 2005.

This could be down to the success of the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which was introduced by the government in 2005 and was aimed at cutting sulphur dioxide output across the US.

"What we're seeing in these satellite observations represents a major environmental accomplishment," commented Environment Protection Agency scientist Bryan Bloomer.

Last month, the Earth Policy Institute's Lester Brown told Environment News Service that figures relating to the use of fossil fuels in the US since 2007 were encouraging. They indicated reliance on coal had fallen by ten per cent over the four-year period and oil went down by 11 per cent.

Posted by Claire Manning