Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

43 Chapter 2: Air Topic Box 2.2  EPA LIFE Emerald air quality forecast The EPA’s LIFE Emerald 3-day air quality forecast, launched in November 2023, consists of maps showing the Air Quality Index for Health and concentrations of four air pollutants (PM 10 , PM 2.5 , NO 2 and O 3 ) for today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow (Figure 2.5). Live data collected from the EPA’s air quality monitoring network, weather forecasts, and geographical information are input to the computer model to produce the forecast, validated in line with EU standards. Users can zoom in to their local area to a scale of 3 km and can see the predicted air quality for that area. The maps are updated twice a day. The forecast enables members of the public to make informed decisions about their planned activities that can positively affect their health. Figure 2.5  LIFE Emerald forecast as presented on www.epa.ie and www.airquality.ie