Review of EU air quality

On 6 June, the European Commission officially launched its 2011-2013 review of air quality legislation. Updates of key legislation such as the National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive and the Ambient Air Quality Directive will be discussed, together with linkages to policies on climate, transport and agriculture. The Commission invites member states, industry, NGOs and the wider public to express their views on how to improve Europe's air legislation.

Three written consultations were launched in June 2011: one for the members of a newly established expert group, one for the wider public, and a third one for air quality professionals. The consultation is open until 15 October 2011.

Give your opinion!

NEC

In this issue

Principles of the Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialised countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.

Particle pollution killing people

In many cities air pollution is reaching levels that threaten people's health according to a new compilation of air quality data by the World Heath Organization (WHO). The information includes data from nearly 1100 cities across 91 countries, including capital cities and cities with more than 100,000 residents.

Cruise line fined for breaching sulphur rules

A cruise ship operator has been fined EUR 30,000 for contravening European Union rules on the sulphur content of marine fuel. The 88,000 gross tonne Disney Magic was inspected this month while at berth in the Italian port of Naples, and it was found the ship was using a bunker fuel with a sulphur content in excess of an EU regulation that requires ships at berth to use fuel with a sulphur content of no more than 0.10 per cent, unless they are scheduled to be in port for less than two hours.

High ozone levels in Europe

The EU long-term objective to protect human health from ozone damage was exceeded in all EU member states and in most of the other reporting European countries at least once during summer 2010, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA). As in previous years, the most widespread high concentrations occurred in the Mediterranean area. However, areas of western and central Europe experienced higher ozone concentrations than in 2009.

Climate change will increase ozone-related deaths

Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal will see the biggest climate-induced increase in ozone-related deaths over the next 60 years, according to a new study, presented at the European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Amsterdam on 27 September.

The research is part of the Climate-TRAP project and its health impact assessment led by Professor Bertil Forsberg from Umeå University in Sweden.

California rules give great benefits

Switching to low sulphur fuels in shipping can provide greater reductions in air pollutant emissions than previously assumed. Carbon dioxide emissions also drop when ships slow down because of the more expensive fuel.

Sulphur emissions from shipping to be slashed

EU ship fuel sulphur standards are to be aligned with international standards, meaning that the global limit should come down to 0.5 per cent in 2020, and the stricter limit applied in sulphur emission control areas is to be further lowered to 0.1 per cent in 2015.

Coal-fired plants hinder German climate targets

If all the 20 planned coal-fired power plant projects in Germany are realised, they would together emit more than 140 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from 2050 onwards. This would make it impossible to achieve the climate targets of the German government.

Carbon dioxide emissions up 5.8 per cent last year

Global emissions of carbon dioxide reached 33 billion tonnes in 2010, and are now 45 per cent higher than in 1990.

Global emissions of the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂) did a full swing after the recession, growing more than 5 per cent in 2010, according to the report "Long-term trend in global CO₂ emissions", published on 21 September. This is the highest increase in the last two decades and only fuels the climate crisis.

Finding new ambition levels

Significant additional emission reductions and accompanying environmental improvements can be achieved in Europe by 2020. Health benefits alone far outweigh the extra costs for emission control.

Berlin leads fight on air pollution, Rome bottom

A long-term strategy to reduce car use and limit high emitters gave Berlin the top position in a ranking of the performance of seventeen European cities in combatting air pollution.

Proposal: Equal tax for all fuels

A proposal for a revision of the EU Energy Tax Directive, launched in April by the European Commission, has triggered strong reactions from some of the EU member states, including giants like the UK and Germany.

Not efficient enough

The European Commission do not believe that their own proposal for a new Energy Efficiency Directive will be enough to meet the 20 per cent energy savings target by 2020.

The road ahead for the Kyoto Protocol

"The Kyoto Protocol is more than just a legal protocol, it holds a symbolic meaning for developing countries"

Shift in emission sources

Air pollutant emissions from international shipping continue to rise, while those from land-based sources in Europe keep on slowly shrinking.

Management or protection?

The fate of the vast boreal forest belt of the northern hemisphere is crucial for global climate. A new AirClim-report looks into our possibilities to protect and manage these forests for climate mitigation. Reducing paper consumption turns out to be an option.

Main menu

Review of EU air quality

In this issue

Principles of the Kyoto Protocol

Particle pollution killing people

Cruise line fined for breaching sulphur rules

High ozone levels in Europe

Climate change will increase ozone-related deaths

California rules give great benefits

Sulphur emissions from shipping to be slashed

Coal-fired plants hinder German climate targets

Carbon dioxide emissions up 5.8 per cent last year

Finding new ambition levels

Berlin leads fight on air pollution, Rome bottom

Proposal: Equal tax for all fuels

Not efficient enough

The road ahead for the Kyoto Protocol

Shift in emission sources

Management or protection?

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

Policy initiatives

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