SPATIO-TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF AIR QUALITY AND RELATIONSHIP WITH METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

African cities are growing fast, and this rapid urbanisation has tremendously increased air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this disturbing reality, the deleterious impacts of air pollution on livelihoods and the environment are often overlooked. Recently, the link between air quality and meteorological parameters has received attention from researchers and understanding this relationship could significantly improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of air quality. This study focuses on analysing the spatiotemporal variation of three key air quality parameters, namely nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter (PM10), in Cape Town between 2020 and 2021. The study also aims to assess the relationship between air quality and meteorological parameters during this period, and the compliance with national and international air quality guidelines. Air quality data were collected from five monitoring stations in the City of Cape Town. A preliminary analysis of the data reveals high increases in the concentration of air pollutants from 2020 to 2021. For instance, the average monthly concentration of NO2 and SO2 at Bellville South station more than doubled during this period (from 6.7–14.8 µg/m3 and 3.4–8.1 µg/m3, respectively). This is worrisome as the air quality index (AQI) exceeded the safe limits at several sites. There is a need for urgent action by national and city governments in Africa to invest in air quality monitoring systems to enhance the well-being of citizens and promote the long-term sustainability of cities and infrastructure.