Air Quality Management

Air Quality Management

Air Quality Management provides a supportive and oversight role with respect to air quality management in the Province. The Western Cape has an Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) which serves an effective tool towards ensuring that the Western Cape reaches its goal of becoming the lowest carbon Province in South Africa and the leading green economic hub of the African continent, while growing its economy.

An anemometer used for measuring the speed and direction of wind.

Khayelitsha Ambient Air Quality Monitoring station

Njabulo Masuku, an Environmental Officer, replacing the dust filters of the Hydrogen Sulphide analyser

Palesa Mothiba, an Environmental Officer, performing calibration tests on the Hydrogen Sulphide analyser

Njabulo Masuku, an Environmental Officer, installing a solar radiation sensor at the Khayelitsha Ambient Air Quality Monitoring station

VISION:

“Clean and healthy air for all in the Western Cape”

MISSION:

"To ensure the effective and consistent implementation of sustainable air quality management practices, by all spheres of government, relevant stakeholders and civil society to progressively achieve and efficiently maintain clean and healthy air in the Western Cape”

GOALS:

To ensure effective and consistent air quality management
To continually engage with stakeholders to raise awareness with respect to air quality
To ensure effective and consistent compliance monitoring and enforcement
To support climate change protection programs, including promoting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

SERVICES

Air Quality Monitoring - The focus is on monitoring ambient air quality in the Province to ensure compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards, as well as measuring greenhouse gas concentrations (for climate management), through the Western Cape Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network. The WC Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network comprises of 10 monitoring stations that monitor and report on Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Particulate Matter (PM) at selected locations in the Province. All data in the Network is reported to the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) via the South African Weather Service (SAWS) network in real time, https://saaqis.environment.gov.za.

Air Quality Regulatory Services - The focus is on the effective regulation of Atmospheric Emission Licenses (AELs), while promoting alternative strategies and processes to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, to achieve a low carbon society.

Air Quality Planning and Information Management - The focus is on the development and implementation of the Western Cape Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). This is achieved through the compilation of the State of Air Quality Management Report (SoAR), development of emission inventories, stakeholder engagement through awareness raising and capacity building initiatives, and the hosting of Air Quality Officers’ Forums (AQOFs) within the Province.

DOCUMENTS

State of Air Quality Management Report 2022 (pdf, 13.62 MB)

State of Air Quality Management Report 2021 (pdf, 12.49 MB)

Air Quality Management Plan 2021 (pdf, 8.15 MB)

Air Quality Public Participation (pdf, 343.65 KB)

Cool Training_StudyExcursion_Aug2019 (pdf, 302.32 KB)

Cool Training_StudyExcursion_Oct2019 (pdf, 302.3 KB)

Co-operation of the W.Cape and Bavaria on the transition to climate-friendly refrigeration & air conditioning (pdf, 304.84 KB)

State of Air Quality Report_2020 (pdf, 14.41 MB)

State of Air Quality Management Report 2019 (pdf, 16.32 MB)

State of Air Quality Management Report 2018 (pdf, 13.18 MB)

State of Air Quality Management Report 2017 (pdf, 9.68 MB)