1. Forum for Air quality Modelling FAIRMODE http://fairmode. ew. eea
Joint response action of the European Environment Agency (EEA)
and the
European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC):
to bring together air quality modelers and users
to promote and support the harmonised use of models by EU member states, with emphasis on their application to the European Air Quality Directive.
I have only added the link to the FAIRMODE website (in blue).

2. Assessment of plans and measures to control AQ exceedances
Activities
Application 1 (APP1):
Assessment of air quality levels to establish the extent of exceedances and establish the population exposure
Application 2 (APP2):
Forecasting air quality levels for short term mitigation and public information and warnings
Application 3 (APP3):
Source allocation to determine of the origin of exceedances and provide a knowledge basis for planning strategies
Application 4 (APP4):
Assessment of plans and measures to control AQ exceedances
Minor typo: “Source allocation to determine of the origin of exceedances and provide a knowledge basis for planning strategies”

3. Preparation of guides on the use of models for O3, PM and NO2
Analysis of current legislation from a modelling standpoint
Combined use of models and measurements
Identification of potential problems in interpreting the legislation
Ask experts
Consult the community
Literature research
Analysis of international standard and experience
Definition of new AQO and benchmarking procedure
Analysis of state of the art research and its use in support of policy implementation
Quality of emission inventories
State of the art of source apportionment models

4. ON THE USE OF MODELS IN SUPPORT TO AQ POLICY
Recomm.: More clarity needed in the AQ Directive text on when and how models can be applied when implementing the Air Quality Directive
FAIRMODE contribution: Preparation of guides
MANDATORY USE OF MODELS FOR REGUALTORY PORPOSE
Recomm: strengthen the text of the Directive to make sure that
where appropriate use of models to support and complement
monitoring information is mandatory
MONITORING NETWORKS,
AQ IMPACT and MODELS
Recomm: definition of criteria
for monitoring networks to ensure inter-comparability and representativeness
FAIRMODE contribution:
Work with Aquila and all bodies
in charge
MODEL QUALITY OBJECTIVES, model benchmarking procedure
Recomm: new less ambiguous model Quality Objectives (QO) are required, to justify model use.
FAIRMODE contribution: New QO and procedure defined ready to be implemented
QUALITY ASSURANCE OF
EMISSION INVENTORIES
Increase the role and contribution of air quality models in support to AQ directive
Recomm: enhance work on
compilation, harmonization
and quality assurance of
urban emission data
FAIRMODE contribution:
Work with all bodies in charge
DETERMINATION OF EXPOSURE

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE OF EMISSION INVENTORIES
(in)consistencies across scales of emission inventories (EIs) Example: case study France (left) – Paris (right) Y-axis)
Hugo Denier van der Gon (TNO) Megacity & regional emissions – Results of FP7 MEGAPOLI

6. MONITORING NETWORKS, AQ IMPACT and MODELS

7. MODEL QUALITY OBJECTIVES & Model benchmarking procedure
New Quantitative AQ objectives defined
A standardised comprehensive summary of individual model performance
A common quality scale that can be used in all MS
Stand alone software reporting tool (DELTA Tool)
Standard procedure:
- where member states can submit model data
and generate an “official” model quality report.
allows model evaluation studies on common case study by all MS using the JRC ENSEMBLE model evaluation platform

8. Input to current recommendations
The FAIRMODE Guides
Input to current recommendations
EEA Technical Report in 2011 “The application of models under the European Union's Air Quality Directive: A technical reference guide”
ETC/ACM Technical Paper in 2011 “Modelling of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) for air quality assessment and planning relevant to the European Air Quality Directive”
We now use “guides” instead of “guidance documents” in order to avoid that the EEA/ETC-ACM publications get mixed up with the Commission’s official guidance documents. (published e.g. in relation to the implementation of the AQ Directives).
Aim and scope of the general reference guide mentioned first on the slide (EEA Technical Report; official EEA doc., EIONET country review!):
Provide reference and guidance for the use of models in relation to the AQ Directives.
The document covers:
a summary of the EU's AQ Directive;
a technical understanding of the EU's AQ Directive in regard to the use of modelling;
a summary on reporting requirements to the European Commission when modelling is used;
a more detailed description of model quality assurance and evaluation methodologies (JRC);
a description and sample applications for the use of modelling in reporting assessments;
a description and sample applications for the use of modelling in regard to air quality planning;
recommendations on a number of technical topics in regard to the AQ Directive when modelling is applied, including assessment of non-anthropogenic contributions to air quality and contributions to particulate matter (PM) from road sanding or salting;
definitions of relevant concepts.
Aim and scope of the NO2 modelling guide (ETC/ACM Technical Paper; EEA agrees on publications; disclaimer: ‘It does not represent the formal views of the EEA):
Provide accessible guidance on the application of air quality models in regard to the European Air Quality Directive, with emphasis on the modelling of nitrogen dioxide (NO2);
Encourage ‘good practise’ with the use of models for air quality assessment and planning applications.
The document cannot cover all details in regard to modelling but will cover the following aspects:
Will provide an overview suitable for understanding the needs and limitations when applying models, with emphasis on the modelling of NO2;
Will provide suitable background information for authorities to make informed choices when requesting modelling to be carried out;
Will provide references and links to more detailed and relevant documents when required.
There are certain areas that this document does not cover, but have been described in the previously published ‘Technical reference guide’ for modelling (see above). These include:
Methods for combining models and monitoring;
Non-process based modelling such as statistical interpolation of monitoring data
Future input
ETC/ACM working papers on modelling PM and reporting modelling results under the AQ Directives in 2012

9. CONCLUSIONS
The spirit of the European air legislation is to protect human health, vegetation and ecosystems. Models are essential tools for (exposure) assessments, forecasts, source allocation and mitigation planning;
The text of the EU directives addressing air quality should be strengthened on how, and when models should be used and whether that should be mandatory;
Authorities carrying out air quality assessment and planning need guidance on the use of models and the reporting of air quality modelling results.
Models used for air quality compliance must fulfil quality objectives in relation to the available monitoring data. New MQO have been designed and a ready-to-use benchmarking procedure established to assess model performance
I know this is quite long… FOR DISCUSSION.