Commission continues tough line on air quality

Over the summer, the European Commission has made decisions on numerous requests from member states for extra time to meet nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) standards. Fewer than half of the air quality zones concerned met conditions for an extension.

According to the EU’s Air Quality Directive, member states can be permitted to delay for up to five years the 2010 deadline for meeting local NO2 targets set in 1999. In order to get a derogation, member states must draw up and implement air quality plans with appropriate measures to ensure that the exceedance period can be kept as short as possible. The air quality plan has to show compliance with the limit value as soon as possible and at the latest by 2015.

In July, the Commission made decisions on applications from six member states. Only Finland’s application, which relates solely to Helsinki, was approved in full. Italy, which submitted applications for 48 zones, was granted 18 extensions to 2015, three to 2013 and one to 2014. The rejected zones include Rome, Naples and Turin, none of which are expected to meet the targets by 2015.

Belgium was granted extensions for the port and city of Antwerp but refused one for Brussels, which is not expected to comply until 2018. Austria only won full extensions for Carinthia and Linz. Lower Austria must become compliant next year. The remaining six zones in its application, including Vienna and Salzburg, were refused extensions.

The Czech Republic was granted more time to meet the hourly limit in Prague, but the capital and three other zones did not win extensions to the annual limit, partly due to poor and inconsistent data. Spain’s application for three extensions also failed.

In June, the EU executive approved a Latvian application covering Riga and one for the UK mainland. Gibraltar already has an extension.

Several other applications from member states are still under consideration by the Commission.

Source: ENDS Europe Daily, 19 July 2012

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/legislation/time_extensions.htm

In this issue

Editorial: Acid News celebrates 30 years!

Today it goes without saying that countries have to cooperate and take action in order to resolve transboundary environmental problems, but this was far from obvious for most countries only a few decades ago.

China: New emission standards for power plants

China’s new emission standards for power plants are comparable to, and in some cases even stricter than, current standards in the EU and the United States.

Progress in EU air policy review

Next year the Commission is to present an updated EU clean air strategy. Scenarios for future air pollutant emissions indicate that these can be significantly cut by combining technical abatement measures with stricter climate policies.

Finding climate policy for the agricultural sector

A trading system for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions results in less leakage than emission caps or a tax on livestock, according to a new report by the EU’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). But the practical difficulties of trading with emissions from diffuse sources such as livestock and arable land are not even mentioned.

Ten one-liners for air policy

In politics, one-liners are in vogue because they bring the message back to the core. Nuances do not come across in a debate. The same seems to apply to air pollution policy. The multitude of information seems to paralyse policy, and not only in the Netherlands. So here are ten ‘one-liners’ for boosting air pollution policy, in the spirit of the Ten Commandments.

Great benefits of NOx reductions in the North Sea

The health benefits of establishing a North Sea NECA are up to seven times higher than the costs and would provide total annual net benefits to society of up to €1646 million in 2030.

Slow steaming saves money and the climate

Regulated speed reduction is a cost-effective and practical way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from shipping.

Energy Efficiency: A deal, but not a great one

On Thursday June 14 all three branches of EU government reached agreement on the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). Formal adoption will be completed later this year.

F-gases still a problem

The production of fluorinated greenhouse gases in the EU has decreased in terms of tonnage, but since the proportion of gases with the highest global warming potentials (GWP) simultaneously has increased there is no reduction in the overall climate impact.

New CO2 standards for cars and vans

Carbon dioxide standards have pushed the auto industry to achieve the same efficiency improvements in the last three years as achieved in the previous eight years. The European Commission has now presented proposals on how standards can be tightened from 2020 and onwards.

Ship emissions continue to increase

While air pollutant emissions from land-based sources in Europe keep on slowly shrinking, some reductions are countered by rising emissions from international shipping.

Main menu

Commission continues tough line on air quality

In this issue

Editorial: Acid News celebrates 30 years!

China: New emission standards for power plants

Progress in EU air policy review

Finding climate policy for the agricultural sector

Ten one-liners for air policy

Great benefits of NOx reductions in the North Sea

Slow steaming saves money and the climate

Energy Efficiency: A deal, but not a great one

F-gases still a problem

New CO2 standards for cars and vans

Ship emissions continue to increase

Publications

SINK OR SOURCE? Northern Forests at a crossroads

The role of northern forests in limiting warming to 1.5°C

Protecting Northern Forests crucial for biodiversity, the climate and indigenous rights

The 100 largest industry emitters in EU-27

Road to Nowhere

Bioenergy CCS – too little, too expensive, and not net negative

Direct air carbon capture and storage - A waste of time and energy

Carbon emissions from the cement industry can be reduced without CCS

What we do

Air pollution

Climate Change

Policy initiatives

Do Your Bit!