Libya has officially launched its first-ever air quality monitoring station in the southeastern city of Kufra, in a step aimed at enhancing the country’s environmental monitoring and data collection capabilities.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Environment at the Parliament-designated government.
According to the ministry, the station will allow for more precise measurement and analysis of air quality and weather conditions in Kufra, helping to address environmental concerns in the region.
The station was established through a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Environment and the Kufra Meteorological Station. The agreement aims to boost collaboration in environmental research, share technical expertise, and facilitate the exchange of environmental data with relevant scientific institutions.
A technical team from the ministry visited the station last Thursday to supervise the installation and calibration of the equipment.
The project is overseen by the ministry’s departments of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Environmental Projects and Investment.
The ministry confirmed that this station is the first step in a long-term plan to roll out similar air quality monitoring stations across Libya, as part of its national strategy to improve environmental monitoring.
This initiative comes as Libya recently improved its position in the global air quality rankings. In March, Fares Fathi, Director of the Environmental GIS Department, revealed that Libya’s ranking improved in the 2024 Air Quality Index (AQI) report released by Swiss firm IQAir.
In 2023, Libya was ranked 20th globally among the most polluted countries, with an AQI reading of 89 micrograms per cubic meter. However, in 2024, Libya improved to 36th place globally and 12th in Africa, with its pollution level dropping to 76 micrograms per cubic meter. Fathi attributed the progress to changes in climate conditions and better air monitoring efforts.
The Ministry of Environment also announced plans to launch a national air quality monitoring project soon, which will include additional stations in various cities. These stations will be linked to the AirVisual Platform, allowing for real-time, transparent tracking of air pollution levels across Libya.
