Environment - Pakistan tests artificial rain to combat air pollution
In the face of dramatic air pollution, Pakistan has tested artificial rain in a metropolis of millions for the first time. The Chief Minister of the most populous province of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, reported on the experiment in the city of Lahore in the east of the country on Saturday. "We are observing the effects of the artificial rain," Naqvi said during a televised press conference. Lahore recorded the world's worst air quality among metropolitan cities on Saturday, according to a ranking by Swiss environmental company IQAir.
According to the minister, the experiment was made possible with the help of the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A team of experts had already been in the city for two weeks. The artificial rain was initiated using a process known as "cloud seeding". This involves burning silver iodide, a yellowish salt, in clouds in a compound with acetone to promote the formation of raindrops. The hope is that this will also reduce the persistent smog.
Residents of the metropolis of millions have been suffering from the air quality in Lahore for weeks. The provincial government has responded by closing schools, among other measures. The Pakistani authorities see industry, traffic and waste incineration as the main causes of air pollution.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Iran, the authorities warned of severe air pollution in large parts of the country. According to the state news agency Irna, in addition to the capital Tehran, other major cities such as Isfahan, Ahwas and Mashhad were also affected by smog.
Report at Irna, Persian report at Tasnim (Telegram-Channel), Persian report at Mehr-News, Persian Iqair - Worldwide Ranking
Read also:
- Snow chaos further restricts Bavaria
- Unanimous decision: faster wolf culls possible
- The year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Snow and ice paralyze southern Germany
- Despite the efforts to combat air pollution in the metropolis of millions in Lahore, Pakistan, the residential areas continue to suffer, raising concerns about public health.
- The experiment with artificial rain in Lahore, conducted to reduce air pollution, is being closely observed by environmental scientists in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
- The initiative to test artificial rain as a solution for air pollution in Pakistan's metropolitan cities has sparked interest in neighboring countries, with Iran considering similar measures to tackle its own environmental pollution issues.
- The pollution levels in Punjab's Pakistani metropolis are not only affecting human health but also impacting the local ecosystem, leading to a decline in the region's green cover.
- The increased use of technology and vehicles in Pakistan's rapidly growing urban areas, such as the metropolis of millions in Lahore, contributes significantly to the country's air pollution, according to a recent environmental survey.
- The residents of the Punjab province, particularly those living in the metropolis of millions, are turning to local television channels for updates on the air quality and the government's plans to address the issue of pollution in their city.
Source: www.stern.de
