Georgia: Within the project “Save Nature – Georgia” framework, supported by the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture and the Swedish government, a new automatic station has been added to the atmospheric air quality monitoring network in the Kakheti region, Telavi city.Â
There are already 16 atmospheric air quality monitoring stations nationwide, including 14 automatic and two mobile.
The new station was opened by the First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture, Nino Tandilashvili, Deputy Head of Development Cooperation of the Swedish Embassy, Eva Atterlov Frissel and State Commissioner Giorgi Aladashvili in Kakheti region.
Nino Tandilashvili said, “A new automatic station was added to the atmospheric air quality monitoring network in Telavi.” The development of a monitoring network enables us, through a high-tech station, not only Telavani, but also everyone who visits Telavani, to have information about air quality.”
“Noteworthy, the station has been placed in the schoolyard, another step forward for the next generation’s environmental awareness. We, together with our new generation, are creating the European future, and one of the main principles is to provide a clean and healthy environment. “I would like to thank the local government and our partners for their support and once again note that we will continue to take appropriate measures to improve air quality in the country,” said the minister.
The Deputy Head of the Swedish Embassy for Development Cooperation stressed the importance of fruitful cooperation between the two countries.
 “The expansion of the atmospheric air quality monitoring network and access to data for the country is an important step forward and a great achievement. Therefore, the Swedish government continues to support Georgia in this direction,” – Eva Atterlov Frissel, Deputy Head of Development Cooperation of the Swedish Embassy.
State Commissioner Giorgi Aladashvili in the Kakheti region emphasized the importance of opening an atmospheric air quality monitoring station for the area and noted that the new station would make the local population and visitors complete information about air quality available.
 The opening event of the station was attended by the Head of the Swedish Embassy Development Cooperation Environmental Program, Khatuna Zaldastanishvili; Mayor of Telavi Municipality, Levan Andriashvili, Rector of Telavi Jakob Gogebashvili State University Shalva Chkadua, Head of the Central Implementing Unit of the Project “Save Nature – Georgia”, Project Manager Natia Beridze and International Representatives of SO organizations and local government were in attendance.
It is worth noting that the automatic station is equipped with modern standards tools and enables the National Environment Agency to provide perfect data on atmospheric air quality within 24 hours. After monitoring, the contents of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx, NO, NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), solid particles (PM10, PM2.5) and BETX (benzol, toluol, ethylbenzene and xylene) are determined in atmospheric air.
