1. Conference on Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections
&file
25/02/2019
Welcome!
Conference on Air Pollution
and Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections
for 2020
Particulate Matter- What is it?
Small droplets or solid material suspended in air. It can be made up from many different chemical constituents depending upon the source of the particles and how it has been formed. The photograph above shows a particle interacting with a human cell.
Particles can be classified according to their size and how they are formed. Primary particles are emitted directly into the atmosphere from processes such as the combustion of fuels such as diesel or coal. Secondary particles are formed in the atmosphere via chemical reactions of gases such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and volatile hydrocarbons.
The two most common size fractions are PM2.5 (”Fine fraction” and PM10. These refer to all particles with a diameter less than 2.5 microns (millionths of a metre) and 10 microns respectively. The particles in the size range 2.5 to 10 microns are referred to as the “coarse fraction”.
Some Europeans are estimated to die now due to particulate matter. This is significant. As a public health problem air pollution is estimated to be similar in size to car accidents or cigarette smoking. However, there is a difference. You can choose to take a car or smoke a cigarette but you cannot stop breathing.
29 September 2006

2. Reactions of EU Institutions to the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution in the NEC context
EP motion of 26/09/2006
Proposal for NECD as soon as possible
Higher ambition level “C” – Costs of 11 €bn
Flexibility with respect to air quality compliance
Supportive of the measures proposed in the Strategy
EU climate policy should be respected and thus lowering the calculated costs
Council Conclusions of 09/03/2006
Welcomes a proposal as soon as possible
Supportive of the overall ambition level
Experiences and difficulties faced by the MS during implementation should be taken into account (more flexibility)
Supported and stressed the need for more Community measures, like ships, small scale combustion, Euro 5, Euro VI, agriculture measures

3. Implications
NEC is one instrument to implement the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution
Revision of NEC must be consistent with the objectives of the Thematic Strategy
Consistency with agriculture, transport and climate change policies needs to be ensured

4. EU climate change policy according to: March 2005 Environment Council & Spring European Council 2005
Limit average global temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels
Global GHG emissions to peak within 2 decades, followed by substantial reductions of 15 – 50% by 2050
Developed country participation:
15-30% by 2020
60-80% by 2050

5. EU Climate policy: next milestones
Energy Package (end 2006/early 2007): up to 2020
Green Paper on Post 2012 climate policies (end 2006/early 2007): policy options up to 2030
Review of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and other legislative proposals (2007)
Sectoral studies on emission reduction potential (2008)
New post-2012 legislative proposals (2010)
=> Implications/synergies with air pollution, energy, transport and agriculture policies needs to be assessed

6. editors Frank Raes
Jens Hjorth

7. The Urbino questions Key science policy questions
Analysis has not overstated the absolute levels of ozone and of anthropogenic and total PM2.5.
This does not necessarily mean that the calculated reductions (of ozone or PM2.5 concentrations resulting from proposed emission controls) are underestimated.
Need for high-quality long-term measurements and reporting of air pollutants.
Further work underway in RTD and contracts to improve the basis for policy (City-Delta 3, NATAIR, EUSAR)