NO2 Trends in Bolivia#
There was a significant increase in air pollution in Bolivia in 2024. This could be because of the widespread forest fires in the country. 2023 also saw a drop in NO2. That was the year that Bolivia started to experience fuel shortages. There is ongoing, and existing research that indicates that NO2 could be a proxy for congestion activity. However, at a national level it is difficult to isolate the cause for the decline.
Santa Cruz saw the highest amount of increase in NO2. This could also be indicative of forest fires. Santa Cruz was also the largest importer of petroleum. Pando saw a huge drop in 2023, however, it seemed to have low pollution compared to the other regions. Following Pando, La Paz was the highest dip in NO2 in 2023.
September 2024 in Bolivia saw a high amount of political instability and wildfires. The wildfires began in June but continued into September. Although September sees peak air pollution every year, 2024 seemed exceptionally higher.
