Inside the Cop28 pollution pods aiming to clear the air on dangers of smog

Specially crafted pods demonstrate air quality levels in Beijing, London and New Delhi

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Visitors at Cop28 can learn more about the world's air quality crisis, inside pods designed to mimic the dirty air in major cities around the globe.

The pollution pods are a series of domes created by British artist Michael Pinsky.

Their carefully crafted environments allow visitors to safely feel, taste and smell air pollution levels from Beijing, London and New Delhi.

The Clean Air Fund and Breathe Cities are supporting the project at Cop28.

Regina Zhyldyzbekova from Clean Air Fund said the pods simulate specific levels and types of air pollution, allowing people to experience environments that are the norm for a large part of the world's population.

“The interconnected domes represent three cities. People go inside to experience the different levels of air pollution,” Ms Zhyldyzbekova told The National.

"Some people would refuse to go to New Delhi or Beijing because it is very polluted and it is not possible to stay there even for five minutes."

Clean Air Fund's Regina Zhyldyzbekova comes out of one of the pollution pods at Expo City Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Screens in the pods display data about the pollution level in the three cities.

A carefully prepared mixture mimics the relative presence of the particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and other emissions polluting these cities, she added.

Ms Zhyldyzbekova, said the experience will educate people about air pollution and make them think of the residents in such cities.

“A lot of people stay in polluted cities and they get used to that air environment. The pods remind people about the problem and how we need to do something about it,” she said.

A fourth pod showcases solutions to clean up the air we breathe and simulates what the air quality of the future might look like using technologies to reduce pollution.

Angela Yokley, an environment student at Washington University, said the experience made her know about pollution levels outside the US.

“The New Delhi pod was clearer than Beijing, but not as clear as London pod and it was very hot. The Beijing pod was very stuffy and seemed like a greenhouse,” Ms Yokley told The National.

“Beijing was like zero visibility and I was imagining the smoke around me. You can barely see even people behind me. Compare to any city I have been to in the US, it has been very different.

“It is devastating to think that is what my home could be like. It is sad and no future should look like that."

It is estimated that over seven million people die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution, more than twice as many as from malaria, tuberculosis and Aids combined.