EfD Colombia Director and Senior Researcher Jorge Bonilla was inteviewed together with other experts by CODS (Center of Sustainable Development Goals) about the problems of the air quality and the pandemic. This interview was published on newspaper El Tiempo on September 27th, 2020.
A few weeks before the quarentine in Colombia, local authorities in Bogotá and Medellin were concerned about the air quality in each city. Experts found that the air quality problems were caused mainly by forest fires in the east of Colombia and in Venezuela.
Senior Researcher Jorge Bonilla mentions in this interview that despite the restrictions on the circulation of vehicles, if there are intense fires, it is difficult to control air pollution. Fires are frequent during the dry season in Colombia. The city of Bogotá as local authority can not do anything against fires that occur in Orinoquia and Amazonia regions or neighbour countries. In order to control these fires, it is requred an international agreement and national coordination. He also mentions that if the economy recovers it is likely that Bogota reaches the levels of pollution that were seen a year ago.
It is possible to read the full article (in Spanish) here.