Finding the ambition level A tentative central ambition level for 2025 has been identified that would further reduce air pollution damage, but it is still insufficient to achieve the EU’s long-term objective of effectively protecting peoples’ health and the environment. Read more
Editorial: Public money for public environmental goods Potatoes, milk and bacon, almost everything we eat comes from agriculture. That is plain fact, but agriculture is also responsible for 90 per cent of the ammonia emissions and at least 11 per cent of the greenhouse gases in the European Union. Read more
Significant cuts in carbon emissions within reach The CO2 emissions of the Nordic and Baltic countries can be cut by 70 per cent by 2020 or soon after, and by 95 per cent by 2030, without nuclear power and CCS, shows a new AirClim report. Read more
Call for international nitrogen framework A global framework on nutrients could be a way forward to address the extensive problems of pollution caused by excess nitrogen and other nutrients, suggests a recent UNEP report. Read more
Coal pollution kills Indians Air pollution from India’s coal power plants causes around 100,000 premature deaths every year – yet there are no national emission standards for key pollutants such as SO2 and NOx. Read more
Eight countries continue to exceed their emission ceilings Car fleet dieselisation combined with high real-life driving emissions contribute to seven countries still failing to meet NOx reduction targets. Read more
Stricter US standards for road vehicles proposed The proposed Tier 3 standards should reduce emissions of smog-forming volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides by 80 per cent and particulate matter by 70 per cent, compared to today’s car fleet average standards. Read more
Every breath we take – air quality in Europe In the 2013 edition of their Signals report, the European Environment Agency (EEA) takes a closer look at air quality. “Signals 2013 – Every breath we take” consists of short and accessible articles covering a wide range of aspects related to air quality. Read more
Call for long-term CO2 targets The European Parliament Environment Committee has proposed a 120kph speed limit for vans from 2014 and 2025 CO2 targets for both cars and vans. Read more
Shipping should cut greenhouse gases and air pollutants Due to its dependence on fossil fuels and the fact that it is one of the least regulated emission sources, emissions from the marine transport sector contribute significantly and increasingly to air pollution and climate change. Read more
Stricter air pollution rules for machinery on the way Emission standards for the non-road sector should be extended and strengthened in line with the Euro VI standards for road vehicles, environmental groups demand. Read more
Coal costs health €43 billion a year A phase-out of coal power generation is imperative, with a moratorium on new coal power plants as a first step. Read more
CCS sidelined by tenuous financing Carbon, capture and storage (CCS) has still not proven to be anything else than an inordinately expensive technology on an experimental level. Nevertheless the European Commission continues to embrace it. Read more
Smaller carbon footprint from food German diets have become more climate-friendly in the past twenty years, but there is great scope to reduce the carbon footprint from food consumption even more. Read more
Europe’s dirty dozen The most polluting point sources in Europe increased their carbon, sulphur and nitrogen oxides emissions in 2011. Read more
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