AKIPRESS.COM - Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded a three-day visit to Nur-Sultan, where they met with representatives of the government of Kazakhstan, industry, and civil society to discuss air quality management and to learn about Kazakhstan’s air quality priorities.

The EPA will use information gathered during this visit to assess the feasibility of bi-lateral collaboration to improve air quality and public health in Kazakhstan. The United States is committed to working with Kazakhstan to reduce air pollution as an investment in the health of Kazakhstan’s people, particularly its children, US Embassy in Kazakhstan said.

The health impacts of air pollution are staggering and have significant economic consequences. The 2016 Global Burden of Disease study found that air pollution accounted for approximately 6.1 million deaths worldwide. We recognize the challenges that Kazakhstan faces in managing their air quality.

The U.S. experience has shown that clean air does not have to come at the expense of economic growth. Since 1970, the United States has reduced air pollution by more than 70 percent while growing our gross domestic product (GDP) by 246 percent. Air quality management, including ambient air monitoring and air pollution controls, is a great investment. The EPA has estimated that for every dollar spent on air pollution monitoring and control in the United States, there are 30 dollars of economic benefits to the American people. If further collaboration is possible, the EPA will bring technical assistance, tools, and training to help Kazakhstan make progress toward cleaner air.