The quality of atmospheric air of Russian cities in 1991–2016

Abstract

The analysis of quality of atmospheric air in Russian cities for 2000-2016 has been carried out. Four cities (Bratsk, Magnitogorsk, Chita and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) during this period almost every year fell into the “black lists” of Roshydromet – of both chronically and extremely polluted cities. As far as regions are concerned, the cities with high level of atmospheric pollution are allocated in Irkutsk oblast, Krasnoyarsk krai, as well as Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk oblasts. The leading factors of formation of environmental situation in cities depending on their localization, specialization and population size have been revealed: 1) large industrial emissions and transport emissions; 2) emissions of mostly unidentified sources of pollution; 3) high natural potential of atmospheric pollution; 4) “import” of pollution from external sources due to an unfavorable ecological and geographical location. The author believes that the cardinal solution of the problem of dirty air is possible only on the basis of regulation of territorial development of Russia.