Bring Air Quality
to VS Code Copilot
Create your Vinkius account to connect OpenAQ to VS Code Copilot and start using all 9 AI tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code. No hosting, no server setup — just connect and start using.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the OpenAQ MCP Server?
Connect OpenAQ, the world's largest open air quality database, to any AI agent and monitor real-time pollution levels, track air quality trends, and access data from thousands of monitoring stations globally through natural language.
What you can do
- Live Monitoring — Get the latest PM2.5, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO readings from any location worldwide
- Historical Analysis — Query time-series measurement data with date range filters for trend analysis
- Location Discovery — Browse monitoring stations by country, city, or geographic area
- Sensor Tracking — View active sensor devices and their measurement parameters
- Parameter Reference — Look up all measurable air quality parameters with units and classifications
- Global Coverage — Access data from 100+ countries with thousands of active monitoring locations
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- Enter your free OpenAQ API Key
- Start monitoring air quality from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client
Built-in capabilities (9)
Includes location counts and city counts per country. List countries with monitoring stations
Useful for getting current air quality status without querying full history. Get latest measurements per location
Get details for a specific location
Filter by country, city, parameter, or geographic bounding box. Returns location details including coordinates, sensor counts, and whether the station is an official monitor. List air quality monitoring locations
Filter by location, parameter, date range, and value range. Returns readings with timestamps. Get historical air quality measurements
Get details for a specific parameter
5, PM10, O3 (ozone), NO2, SO2, CO, etc. Includes units and whether each is a core parameter. List measurable air quality parameters
Get details for a specific sensor
Filter by location, parameter type, or active status. List air quality sensors
Why VS Code Copilot?
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings OpenAQ data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 9 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.
- —
VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor
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Project-scoped MCP configs (
.vscode/mcp.json) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access - —
Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop
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GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services
OpenAQ in VS Code Copilot
Why run OpenAQ with Vinkius?
The OpenAQ connection runs on our fully managed, secure cloud infrastructure. We handle the hosting, maintenance, and security so you don't have to deal with servers or code. All 9 tools are ready to work instantly without any complex setup.
You stay in complete control of your data. Your AI only accesses the information you approve, keeping your sensitive passwords and private details completely safe. Plus, with automatic optimizations, your AI works faster and more efficiently.
* Every connection is hosted and maintained by Vinkius. We handle the security, updates, and infrastructure so you don't have to write code or manage servers. See our infrastructure
Over 4,000 integrations ready for AI agents
Explore a vast library of pre-built integrations, optimized and ready to deploy.
Connect securely in under 30 seconds
Generate tokens to authenticate and link external services in a single step.
Complete visibility into every agent action
Audit live requests, latency, success rates, and active security compliance policies.
Optimize spending and track token ROI
Analyze real-time token consumption and cost metrics detailed by connection.
Explore our live AI Agents Analytics dashboard to see it all working
This dashboard is included when you connect OpenAQ using Vinkius. You will never be left in the dark about what your AI agents are doing with your tools.
OpenAQ and 4,000+ other AI tools. No hosting, no code, ready to use.
Professionals who connect OpenAQ to VS Code Copilot through Vinkius don't need to write code, manage servers, or worry about security. Everything is pre-configured, secure, and runs automatically in the background.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-use MCPs | Find and configure each manually | 4,000+ MCPs ready to use |
| Connection Setup | Manual coding & server setup | 1-click instant connection |
| Server Hosting | You host it yourself (needs 24/7 uptime) | 100% hosted & managed by Vinkius |
| Security & Privacy | Stored in plaintext config files | Bank-grade encrypted vault |
| Activity Visibility | Blind execution (no logs or tracking) | Live dashboard with real-time logs |
| Cost Control | Runaway AI token spend risk | Automatic budget limits |
| Revoking Access | Must delete files or code to stop | 1-click disconnect button |
How Vinkius secures
OpenAQ for VS Code Copilot
Every request between VS Code Copilot and OpenAQ is protected by our secure gateway. We automatically keep your sensitive data private, prevent unauthorized access, and let you disconnect instantly at any time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get an OpenAQ API Key?
Visit OpenAQ Platform, create a free account, and generate your API key from the dashboard. Free tier includes 1,000 requests/hour.
What air quality parameters can I monitor?
PM2.5, PM10, O3 (ozone), NO2, SO2, CO, BC (black carbon), and more. Use get_parameters to see the full list with units and classifications.
Can I get historical air quality data?
Yes! Use get_measurements with date_from and date_to parameters in ISO 8601 format to retrieve time-series data for any location and parameter.
Which VS Code version supports MCP?
MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.
How do I switch to Agent mode?
Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.
Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?
Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.
Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?
Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.
MCP tools not available
Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.
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