title: Air pollution management and control in Latin America and the Caribbean: implications for climate change.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the status of the legal framework for air quality control in all countries of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC); to determine the current distribution of air monitoring stations and mean levels of air pollutants in all capital and large cities (more than 100 000 inhabitants); and to discuss the implications for climate change and public policymaking.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2015-February 2016, searches were conducted of online databases for legislation, regulations, policies, and air pollution programs, as well as for the distribution of monitoring stations and the mean annual levels of air pollution in all LAC countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 117 cities distributed among 17 of 33 LAC countries had official information on ground level air pollutants, covering approximately 146 million inhabitants. The annual mean of inhalable particles concentration in most of the cities were over the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines; notably, only Bolivia, Peru, and Guatemala have actually adopted the guidelines. Most of the cities did not have information on particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less, and only a few measured black carbon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The air quality regulatory framework should be updated to reflect current knowledge on health effects. Monitoring and control of ground level pollutants should be extended and strengthened to increase awareness and protect public health. Using the co-benefits of air pollution control for health and climate as a framework for policy and decision-making in LAC is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico.
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riojas-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of the World Health Organization, Washington DC, United States of America.
authors.forename: Agnes Soares
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Texcalac-Sangrador
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Department, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico.
authors.forename: Grea Litai
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Moreno-Banda
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001838:Bolivia; D017691:Caribbean Region; D002947:Cities; D057231:Climate Change; D006166:Guatemala; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D010568:Peru; D014900:West Indies