Today a Call for Applications was published with code POSEUR-10-2015-28 addressed to the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA, IP) to strengthen information and monitoring systems, particularly regarding the modernization of the air quality system (QualAr).

Air quality is a key environmental component, particularly to public health and quality of life. Despite significant improvements in recent decades, there are still problems of air pollution impacts on human health and ecosystems, particularly in densely populated urban areas.

In this sense, a National Strategy for Air - ENAR 2020 was elaborated with the vision "to improve air quality for the protection of human health, quality of life and the conservation of ecosystems" based on three axes: "evaluate", "anticipate" and "act".

The technical work of ENAR identified as priority: better understanding on the effects of air pollution in Portugal; improve coordination of information and inter-institutional cooperation between the various management bodies of air quality in order to ensure the effectiveness of measurement and management action plans, in accordance with legal requirements; improve information and dissemination systems to the public and to the relevant institutions in this field.

Thus, it is necessary to modernize the Air Quality Information System (QualAr), to accommodate legal requirements and respond effectively to the growing demands on the availability of information on air quality.

Applications may be submitted through Balcão 2020 until 18:00 of December 29, 2015.

The Call for Applications is also available on Portal Portugal 2020.