**Primary Article: Polluted Air in La Paz and Los Cabos**
Since late 2023, a judge has ordered the Municipality of La Paz to implement vehicle inspections and maintain a list of mobile pollutant sources, along with inspecting these sources to monitor the contaminants to which citizens are exposed. Civil society associations have also held several monitoring meetings with the Secretariat of Urban Planning and Infrastructure, Mobility, Environment, and Natural Resources (SEPUIMM).
Jacqueline Valenzuela, Executive Director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Environmental Quality AC (CERCA), highlighted, “To improve air quality, we must start by measuring it. The monitoring booth purchased by the State Government of BCS has yet to produce information, which means the population, especially those most exposed, such as in the Colonia Marquez de León, are not being protected.”
The municipal authority has been negligent in attending to this directive. According to the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA) in collaboration with the Citizen Observatory Cómo Vamos La Paz, the more than 700,000 uninspected vehicles running in Southern California are a determining factor in environmental contamination.
CEMDA’s Alma Lidia Cota expressed concern over the situation, noting the alarming air quality that sometimes prevents residents from leaving their homes due to respiratory problems. This issue has been exacerbated since Baja California Sur is the most motorized city in the country, with an average of one car per inhabitant, and lacks vehicle inspections, leading to the first environmental contingency in the city’s history following landfill fires.
Mobile sources such as vehicles, along with stationary sources like thermoelectric plants, which generate energy through internal combustion, are significant contributors to pollution in La Paz and Los Cabos. The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) operates these plants, burning large quantities of low-quality fuel oil, which emits harmful contaminants despite commitments to better control such emissions.
Dr. Habacuc Uematzin Pérez Tribouillier’s doctoral thesis (2013-2014) examined pollutants in the sediments of La Paz Bay, highlighting toxic substances like cadmium, chromium, phosphorus, lanthanides, uranium, and vanadium, coming from both mobile and fixed sources. The probable presence of these toxic particles in the air has been linked to respiratory diseases.
To mitigate these issues, renewable energy sources, like solar power, have yet to be properly exploited, with little governmental investment in this area. CERCA has installed air quality monitors in 20 points across the state, with 12 in La Paz and 8 in Los Cabos, to gather real-time data on air pollution levels.
Valenzuela stressed the increased health risks associated with poor air quality, particularly for individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions. The toxic particles from burning fuel oils can exacerbate conditions like bronchitis, asthma, chronic respiratory diseases, and various allergic diseases.
Daily monitoring reports indicate fluctuating air quality levels, with several instances of contamination exceeding safe limits. The installation of monitors has helped identify areas with the highest levels of pollutants, mostly around fixed sources like the Punta Prieta power plant.
Despite these efforts, more needs to be done to ensure cleaner, healthier air for residents, reduce vehicle emissions, and transition to clean energy sources, as significant health risks continue to threaten the population in La Paz and Los Cabos.
**Secondary Article:**
**Additional Findings on Air Pollution in Baja California Sur**
Recent reports have underscored the urgency of addressing air pollution in Baja California Sur. Key developments include:
1. **Failure to Achieve Emission Reduction Promises:**
Despite promises to reduce emissions from thermoelectric plants by installing electrostatic precipitators, these measures have not been fulfilled adequately, resulting in continued environmental degradation.
2. **Increased Respiratory Illnesses:**
Data from local health institutions show a marked increase in respiratory conditions, correlating with periods of high pollution.
3. **Publications Highlight Government Inaction:**
Several editorials and research publications have called attention to the lack of effective government action in controlling pollution, particularly criticizing the slow implementation of vehicle inspection regulations.
4. **Potential Solar Power Solutions Uninvested:**
While Baja California Sur has significant potential for solar energy, due to its geographic location, investments in solar technology remain minimal, reflecting a reluctance from governmental bodies to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
5. **Citizen Initiatives on Air Quality:**
In response to government inaction, several citizen groups have taken the initiative to monitor air quality independently, using various online platforms to share real-time data and advocate for cleaner air policies.
These findings highlight the critical need for more robust and immediate actions to tackle air pollution in Baja California Sur to protect public health and the environment.