Christer Ågren

The improvement in air quality as a result of the coronavirus lockdown led to 11,000 fewer deaths from pollution in western and central Europe in April.

Over a period of only three weeks, the Trump administration has eroded the basis for air pollution control in coal-fired power plants, declined to strengthen air quality standards, and finalised a rollback of vehicle fuel efficiency standards.

Air pollution is the biggest environmental health threat in Europe and more and more people are taking action to claim their right to clean air.

Environment ministers acknowledge that action taken at local, national and EU level has not been sufficient to meet the EU air quality standards.

Shutting down coal power plants is necessary to halt global warming and would have net benefits even in the short term, once health and environmental impacts are factored in.

The EU air quality limit values are enforceable and have been instrumental in driving a downward trend in air pollution exceedances and exposure.

Lowered ship speed means reduced fuel burn, resulting in less emissions of greenhouse gases and traditional air pollutants, as well as benefits for marine life.

A recent Eurobarometer survey asked over 27,000 people from across the EU several questions about air quality.

Ships fuelled by LNG do not deliver the emissions reductions required by the IMO’s greenhouse gas strategy, says new study.

Growth in EU renewable energy has reduced GHG emissions, and in most cases air pollutant emissions as well. But increased burning of biomass has actually increased emissions of health-damaging PM emissions.

The EU air quality limit values are enforceable and have been instrumental in driving a downward trend in air pollution exceedances and exposure.

This book is about a few hundredths of a percent of the air we breathe – for that is the total extent of what we call air pollution. Even so, the effects on people and nature are very tangible: the climate is changing, rare species of animals and plants are under threat, lakes are becoming acidified, buildings are eroding, and so on.

Current levels of air pollution cause severe health impacts in the European Union, resulting in some 370,000 premature deaths each year, increased hospital admissions, extra medication, and millions of lost working days.

A lowering of the sulphur content of marine heavy fuel oil to 0.5 per cent would reduce SO2 emissions from international shipping around Europe by more than three quarters by 2010. The benefits of such a measure clearly outweigh the costs, according to this study.

Directive 2001/81/EC on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants.

The 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution was the first multilateral treaty for dealing with air pollutants.