Mexican President calls for action on air pollution emergency

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto called on state and federal authorities to take action to cut air pollution on Wednesday, after the government declared an environmental emergency earlier this week.

The Mexico City municipal government said the capital suffered its third consecutive day of severe air pollution, with the concentration of ozone in the air reaching its highest level in 13 years.

President Pena Nieto said: "Sadly, the air quality, particularly in the Valley of Mexico, has been badly deteriorating over the last months and years," said at a public ceremony, referring to the region that surrounds the capital city.”

He added: "We need to go further, be braver and particularly be more determined to make sure that from now on, and over the next years, we avoid having a contaminated atmosphere that puts at risk the health of the people who live in this great megalopolis.”

Mexico City officials on Monday said an "extraordinary increase" in ozone concentration was due to a high pressure system and intense solar radiation around greater Mexico City.

The city last issued a ‘phase one’ pollution warning for dangerous levels of ozone in September 2002, and a ‘phase one’ alert was last issued for particle pollution on New Year's Day 2005.

Ozone, a form of oxygen created by the reaction of sunlight with air containing other pollutants, is a key ingredient of smog.

It can compound heart disease and cause breathing difficulties, with children and the elderly especially at risk.