Editorial: Unacceptable to wait another forty years

It is now 2013, the year declared by environment commissioner Potočnik as the year of air, and in a speech at the EEB air quality conference on 8 January, he said that poor air quality was the cause of 420,000 premature deaths in the EU in 2010 and that this is “simply not acceptable” – a view that is obviously shared by a large majority of the population, according to a Eurobarometer survey published that same day.

The survey reveals a widespread dissatisfaction among EU citizens with actions currently being taken to address air quality problems. Seven out of ten respondents said that public authorities are not doing enough to promote good air quality.

Almost nine out of ten believe that health issues related to air quality are a serious problem, and eight out of ten consider acidification and eutrophication as serious problems. Four out of five EU citizens believe that the EU should propose additional measures to address air pollution.

Support for stricter air quality policy also comes from the World Health Organization (WHO), which has urged the EU to strengthen its laws on air pollution to bring them into line with the latest science. The science-based WHO’s air quality guidelines are currently far stricter than the EU’s standards. For fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), the EU standard is more than twice as high as the WHO guideline. The EU limit value is also twice as high as the new air quality standard in the United States.

Since the adoption of the EU’s national emission ceilings (NEC) directive in 2001, scientific methodologies and understanding of the wider environmental effects of air pollution have also improved – we now know that ecosystems are more sensitive than previously thought and the resulting problems of eutrophication, acidification and ozone exposure have been worse than previously estimated.

In early March, sixty environmental, health and citizens’ organisations from across the EU sent a joint letter to the Commission, listing three main priorities for which they would like legislative action in 2013.

The adoption of ambitious emission reduction commitments in the revised NEC directive, both for existing and ‘new’ pollutants – new pollutants being PM_2.5 and methane.
The adoption of sector legislation to cut emissions from all major sources – the main sectors listed include agriculture, domestic heating, shipping, small industrial combustion plants, road vehicles, non-road mobile machinery and solvent use.
The enforcement and strengthening of ambient air quality limit values, especially for PM_2.5.

In his 8 January speech, Potočnik suggested “that for health, the vision of no significant negative impacts from air pollution means achievement of WHO health guidelines” and that “for the environment, it means no ecosystems stressed by acidification or eutrophication.” He concluded that “this should be our ultimate goal, and it should be achieved by 2050.”

The vision as such is fine – it is in fact largely the same as the long-term objectives already established twenty years ago in the EU’s Fifth Environment Action Programme (EAP) from 1992 (and again in the Sixth EAP from 2002).

Potočnik is right in saying that the current air pollution situation is not acceptable. But it is equally unacceptable that we should need to wait another forty years to achieve the objectives agreed twenty years ago. The expectation of the sixty environmental groups – and most probably also of the vast majority of EU citizens – is for the Commission and member states to aim to achieve these fundamental objectives by 2030.

Christer Ågren

In this issue

Small chimneys – big emissions

The Danish Government and the European Commission have separately presented proposals for emission standards for new boilers and stoves. But to achieve noticeable near-term air pollution reductions it is essential to combine such standards with measures for existing installations.

Editorial: Unacceptable to wait another forty years

It is now 2013, the year declared by environment commissioner Potočnik as the year of air, and in a speech at the EEB air quality conference on 8 January, he said that poor air quality was the cause of 420,000 premature deaths in the EU in 2010 ..

EU citizens: we want stronger air quality policy

Almost four out of five Europeans believe that the EU should propose additional measures to address air pollution.

Running out of time – the LCPD bites at last

EU SO₂ emissions have been cut by 80 per cent and NOx emissions halved between 1990 and 2010. Things are going to get even better, thanks to the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD), introduced in 1988.

Progress too slow

Emission levels of carbon dioxide from the transport sector have levelled off, after the sharp reductions that followed the economic crisis in 2008. However there is still a notable absence of structural changes, such as modal shifts.

Revising EU air pollution policy

Significant additional emission reductions and accompanying environmental improvements can be achieved in the EU over the next 10-15 years. Health benefits alone far outweigh the extra costs for emission control.

WHO experts call for stronger EU air pollution policies

Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) can trigger atherosclerosis, adverse birth outcomes and childhood respiratory diseases, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) review released on 31 January.

Nitrogen overload still harms ecosystems

Two-thirds of EU ecosystems are currently exposed to more nitrogen deposition than they can cope with and one-tenth is receiving too much acid fallout. Significant additional reductions in the emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide ...

Scope for reducing ammonia emissions

By applying already known techniques and agricultural practices, the EU could reduce agricultural emissions of ammonia by more than 30 per cent, figures show in a new report from the International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA).

Global mercury deal

On 19 January, after four years of deliberation, more than 140 countries agreed on the first global treaty to cut mercury pollution. It contains a mixture of mandatory and voluntary elements intended to control the growing global mercury crisis.

Emissions reallocated to end-users

Industries and homes together account for more than half of the energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, when emissions are aggregated at end-user level.

Road charges for lorries could cut air pollution

Introducing road charges for heavy goods vehicles that reflect the varied health effects of traffic pollution in different European countries would mean charges should be much higher in some countries compared to others.

Tailwind for wind

Wind power is coming of age. It supplies one-fortieth of the world’s electricity, and has grown tenfold in 10 years. There is room for much more. China and the US now lead the world.

Main menu

Editorial: Unacceptable to wait another forty years

In this issue

Small chimneys – big emissions

Editorial: Unacceptable to wait another forty years

EU citizens: we want stronger air quality policy

Running out of time – the LCPD bites at last

Progress too slow

Revising EU air pollution policy

WHO experts call for stronger EU air pollution policies

Nitrogen overload still harms ecosystems

Scope for reducing ammonia emissions

Global mercury deal

Emissions reallocated to end-users

Road charges for lorries could cut air pollution

Tailwind for wind

Publications

Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

What we do

Air pollution

Climate Change

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