In a significant policy shift, the U.S. State Department has halted the global monitoring of air pollution through its embassies, effectively shutting down a program that was widely appreciated for its contributions to global health, especially in regions like China and India. This move has raised alarms among scientists worldwide, who fear that stopping the dissemination of air quality data will hinder efforts to combat pollution and protect public health. The program, which researchers claim was self-sustaining, provided critical insights into environmental conditions, and its termination could pose long-term risks to air quality awareness and action on a global scale.