New legal approach to improve EU air quality

Ambient air quality is poor in many EU countries – despite an obligation for governments to ensure good air quality for citizens. Excessive levels of particulate matter (PM₁₀) have led the Commission to take action against 17 member states.

Over the last few years, the Commission has taken Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden to Court for failing to ensure good air quality for citizens. But the Court rulings that resulted only covered the failure to comply with air quality limit values in the past, providing little incentive for member states to act on future exceedances.

This early legal action against member states failing to comply with air quality requirements was based on a breach of Article 13 of the air quality directive, which says limit values for air pollutants such as PM₁₀ must not be exceeded.

The Commission will now also invoke article 23, which says that member states should adopt air quality plans with appropriate measures, so that the exceedance period can be kept as short as possible. This new approach was first applied against Belgium in November last year. On 24 January, the Commission sent formal notices to Bulgaria, Latvia and Slovenia, urging them to take effective measures to reduce PM₁₀ concentrations. Other states will follow. The full list of member states with PM₁₀ exceedances is Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia and Slovenia.

PM₁₀ limit values were to be met by 2005, but extensions until June 2011 were possible. Such exemptions were subject to a number of conditions. Most importantly, member states had to present an air quality plan setting out the relevant abatement actions during the extension period and demonstrate that they had taken all the necessary steps to achieve compliance by the extended deadline.

Source: European Commission press release, 24 January 2013

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

New legal approach to improve EU air quality

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

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!