National Action Plan on Air Pollutants.

The formulation of the National Action Plan on Air Pollutants is the first time that the reductions in air pollution have been quantified for measures originally developed with the aim of reducing greenhouse gases. It also describes the pollutants in detail, including the emission levels of different pollutants in the Maldives, and their likely progression in the future. The analysis shows that in general, the largest sources of air pollutants and short-lived climate pollutants in the Maldives are transport and waste sectors, with electricity generation as a source for specific pollutants. This Action Plan demonstrates that, the full implementation of both NDC measures and air quality measures result in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 28.78% in 2030. The implementation of the air quality strategy measures resulting in a small additional reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, indicates that taking additional actions to improve air quality can be done without increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Air pollution ea n cause crop damage and affect food quality andl security. The UNEP / W MO a·ssessment indicates that mitigating SLCPs emissions, in particular tropospheric ozone, can help avoid the loss of 52 million tons of four staple crops - maize, rice, soybean and wheat. Pollutants such a.s sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from open fires and the combustion af fossil fuels mix with precipitation causing harmful acid rain that can compromise water quality, Untreoted wastewater is also a significant source of methane emissions that contribute to the formation of tropospheric ozone, further impacting food security and public health.
The purpose of this national action plan is to identify the effectiveness of the planned and proposed mitigation measures to reduce air pollution emissions, which are aligned with the Maldives climate mitigation targets. This National Action Plan builds on existing plans and strategies in the Maldive.s that include mitigation measures (that can affect air pollution emissions), but for which the air pollution emission reduction potential has not yet been evaluated. The priority mitigation measures identified in this plan are therefore compiled from existing plans and strategies, meaning that the National Action Plan on Arr Pollution is completely aligned and complementary to the Maldives existing commitments on climate change mitigation. Maldives' Nationally Determined Contribution aims at reducing air pollution for families to become healthier, save on medical expenses and improve productivity. Improving public health by reducing the burden of disease from air pollution also increases the resilience of populations to environmental shocks and disasters.