Hungary breached EU air pollution limits

The EU Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in February that Hungary has “systematically and persistently” breached legal limits for PM₁₀, in some regions for as long as 12 years. The court also said that, since 2010, Hungary had failed to ensure that breaches were kept as short as possible. The ruling orders Hungary to comply or face potential further legal action by the Commission to impose financial penalties.

The judgment from the Court of Justice on Wednesday puts Hungary on a list of nine EU countries found guilty of illegal air pollution since 2011. Romania, Bulgaria, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden all breached PM₁₀ limits, while France had illegal levels of NO₂.

Source: Reuters, 3 February 2021.

Link to ECJ press release: https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2021-02/cp21001...

In this issue

Ocean acidification increases the agony of the Baltic Sea

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Editorial

Marine areas around the world face dramatic changes related to the release of greenhouse gases. Some of these changes — such as marine heat waves already proven devastating to coral reefs — are directly related to the temperature regimes experienced by the organisms. In addition, there is a whole list of other changes that occur concurrently.

Improved air quality could save 200,000 lives per year

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EU Clean Air Outlook

The annual health benefits of additional measures needed to achieve the 2030 national emissions ceilings are estimated at €12–43 billion, up to 31 times higher than the estimated costs.

EU countries falling short of air pollution targets

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Renewables have reduced environmental pressures in EU

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Estonia: from shale to gale

Rising CO₂ emission quota prices finally seem to have pushed oil shale power off the energy market in Estonia.

Net zero air travel? Climate-positive hamburgers?

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Towards sustainability of marine governance

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Phasing out fossil gas power stations in Europe by 2030

Presenting a list of gas-fired power stations in the EU and the UK that should be closed within the next 10 years.

Hungary breached EU air pollution limits

In this issue

Ocean acidification increases the agony of the Baltic Sea

Editorial

Improved air quality could save 200,000 lives per year

EU Clean Air Outlook

EU countries falling short of air pollution targets

Renewables have reduced environmental pressures in EU

Estonia: from shale to gale

Net zero air travel? Climate-positive hamburgers?

Towards sustainability of marine governance

Phasing out fossil gas power stations in Europe by 2030

In Breif

100% renewable electricity supply is possible by 2030

Meeting Paris goals and phasing out fossil fuels could save “millions of lives”

UN Secretary General urges all countries to declare climate emergency

Bulgaria and Greece to go to court for air quality breaches

Hungary breached EU air pollution limits

Domestic wood burning biggest PM emitter in the UK

Major emitters of air pollution often overlooked

Close links between air pollution and climate action

Ocean Acidification Action Week initated by the BALSAM-project, 3-9 May 2021

Decarbonising the shipping industry

Rules of the Paris Agreement

Slow progress on proposal to modernise Energy Charter Treaty

Climate crimes must be brought to justice

Solar radiative management opposed

CAN conclusions on CCS

Fossil fuel air pollution caused 8.7m deaths globally

Clean Air Day 2021

Phase out scrubbers on ships

Support for Mediterranean Emission Control Area

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

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