Japan has granted Armenia $1.7 million to modernize air quality monitoring stations and purchase new equipment, strengthening Armenia’s air pollution monitoring system, improving the accuracy of collected data, enhancing forecasting reliability, and contributing to a healthier and more sustainable environment.
The agreement was signed on September 29 by Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan and Japan’s Ambassador to Armenia Yutaka Aoki under the “Economic and Social Development” framework. Under the agreement, the Japanese government will provide Armenia with approximately $1.7 million, which the Ministry of Environment’s “Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center” will use to modernize monitoring stations and purchase new equipment.
Matevosyan emphasized that the collaboration will support environmental protection, help mitigate the effects of climate change, promote sustainable urban development, and safeguard public health.
He noted that with state funding, two modern reference monitoring stations were already acquired in 2024, and this Japanese grant represents an important continuation of the Ministry’s ongoing reforms.
In parallel, Yerevan’s four-year program to reduce air pollution has been finalized and will soon be published on the municipality’s official website, alongside other public initiatives. Recognizing that air quality worsens in winter, Mayor Tigran Avinyan has instructed authorities to identify the worst sources of emissions and take targeted measures to reduce them.
The program and its findings were discussed today at a session of the Yerevan City Council.
