Unseen but not unfelt: resilience to persistent volcanic emissions (UNRESP). Case study from Masaya volcano, Nicaragua

Even when volcanoes are not erupting ash or lava, their persistent volcanic emissions (PVE) can be highly hazardous. PVE are extremely rich in acids (for example sulphur dioxide gas), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and heavy metals, presenting a serious and persistent source of air pollution. UNRESP foundation phase will be based at Masaya volcano in Nicaragua, one of the biggest volcanic polluters in the world, which has been causing severe air pollution in populated areas for many centuries. UNRESP seeks to reduce the impact of Masaya's PVE on the local populations by introducing early warning and mitigation procedures for episodes when volcanic air pollution reaches hazardous levels.

Over 30 countries on the Official Development Assistance list (ODA) may be suffering from PVE, yet, this hazard remains loverlooked by the Disaster Risk Reduction community in developing countries of the Global South. Most of the existing knowledge and best practices on dealing with PVEC originates from locations in the Global North, such as Hawaii, Italy and Japan, leaving major gaps in their institutional applications to Global South contexts.

While Masaya will be used as a pilot location, the results will be applicable to other areas in Nicaragua impacted by PVE, and translatable to other countries. We are aiming to build early-warning procedures which are highly applicable and easily accessible to the populations at risk, and to improve the communication between scientists, decision makers and the local communities. We will apply a stakeholder-first approach, which enables and encourages the local communities to be involved in the building of the resilience strategies.

UNRESP combines the expertise of a large and highly interdisciplinary group of UK and Nicaraguan researchers across volcanology, environmental sciences, history, human geography, sociology and anthropology. We have two volcano observatories as project partners, including Nicaragua's INETER. UNRESP also involves project partners representing the remit of public health to which our findings will be highly relevant. The project's objectives will be met through collection of new data and a review of pre-existing information, as well as through discussions and active collaboration at Nicaragua-based workshops and outreach activities.

UNRESP focuses on a long-term hazard in Nicaragua caused by persistent volcanic emissions (PVE) and the associated air pollution effects. There is a very limited understanding of the dispersion and levels of the air pollution, and no established procedures for communicating the hazard between the local authorities and the public.

WHO will benefit from this research and HOW:

1) Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Territoriales (INETER): the government institute in Nicaragua responsible for monitoring and issuing of early warning of volcanic and other natural hazards. UNRESP will develop the capacity of INETER to forecast and issue early warnings for air pollution caused by PVE, as well as increasing the awareness of the government to the PVE hazard.

2) Sistema Nacional para la Prevención, Mitigación y Atención de Desastres (SINAPRED): the Nicaraguan Civil Protection whose main mission is to reduce the vulnerability in Nicaragua from natural or anthropogenic disasters. UNRESP will help strengthening the coordination of institutional actions for volcanic hazard management and will enhance the resilience of communicative networks aiming at improving civil protection interventions within Nicaragua.

3) Ministerio de Salud (MINSA): Health Ministry of Nicaragua is responsible for providing health services (free at the point of use) and promoting lifestyles that contribute to improving the life quality and life expectancy. UNRESP impacts its work by advancing resilience to an air pollution hazard highly pertinent to human health. This aids disease and disability prevention and frees up much-needed resources.

4) Ministerio del Ambiente y los Recursos Naturales (MARENA): the National Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources regulates the conservation and use of natural resources, and operates Nicaragua's protected areas including the Masaya Volcano National Park, one of the most popular tourist destinations. UNRESP will directly benefit MARENA and Masaya Volcano National Park by providing information and monitoring of how Masaya volcano affects air quality within the national park to provide a safer experience for both the park staff and visitors. The early-warning procedures developed at Masaya can be set up to be deployed at other volcanic national parks in Nicaragua.

5) Autoridad Nacional del Agua (ANA): the Nicaragua National Water Authority is responsible for management of national water resources. UNRESP will deliver a pilot study of the polluting impact of PVE on water resources, in particular potable water.

6) Local residents, the agricultural sector and tourism. UNRESP will have an immediate effect by setting up alerts about the air pollution levels which will be beneficial to the health of people and livestock; and help with planning agricultural activities. UNRESP will also provide a pilot study on the effect of PVE on soil quality in agricultural fields.

7) Volcano observatories, decision makers and the public in other countries dealing with PVE will benefit from our findings. UNRESP will facilitate a knowledge exchange between the Nicaraguan and Icelandic volcano observatories aimed at enhancing the capacity for dealing with PVE in both countries.

8) The global DRR sector. We are contributing to the overall Sendai Framework put in place by the UNISDR on the general task of enhancing disaster preparedness based on knowledge found in impacted communities. These communities are also subject to a number of other volcanic hazards in addition to PVE and therefore understanding their background resilience is important.

9) The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network (IVHHN) is an umbrella organisation for all research and information on volcanic health hazards. The information and recommendations on mitigating and communicating PVE hazard in Nicaragua derived from UNRESP will be made available to IVHHN so that lessons learned can be applied elsewhere.