Small chimneys – big emissions The Danish Government and the European Commission have separately presented proposals for emission standards for new boilers and stoves. But to achieve noticeable near-term air pollution reductions it is essential to combine such standards with measures for existing installations. Read more
Editorial: Unacceptable to wait another forty years It is now 2013, the year declared by environment commissioner Potočnik as the year of air, and in a speech at the EEB air quality conference on 8 January, he said that poor air quality was the cause of 420,000 premature deaths in the EU in 2010 .. Read more
EU citizens: we want stronger air quality policy Almost four out of five Europeans believe that the EU should propose additional measures to address air pollution. Read more
Running out of time – the LCPD bites at last EU SO2 emissions have been cut by 80 per cent and NOx emissions halved between 1990 and 2010. Things are going to get even better, thanks to the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD), introduced in 1988. Read more
Progress too slow Emission levels of carbon dioxide from the transport sector have levelled off, after the sharp reductions that followed the economic crisis in 2008. However there is still a notable absence of structural changes, such as modal shifts. Read more
Revising EU air pollution policy Significant additional emission reductions and accompanying environmental improvements can be achieved in the EU over the next 10-15 years. Health benefits alone far outweigh the extra costs for emission control. Read more
WHO experts call for stronger EU air pollution policies Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can trigger atherosclerosis, adverse birth outcomes and childhood respiratory diseases, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) review released on 31 January. Read more
Nitrogen overload still harms ecosystems Two-thirds of EU ecosystems are currently exposed to more nitrogen deposition than they can cope with and one-tenth is receiving too much acid fallout. Significant additional reductions in the emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide ... Read more
Scope for reducing ammonia emissions By applying already known techniques and agricultural practices, the EU could reduce agricultural emissions of ammonia by more than 30 per cent, figures show in a new report from the International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA). Read more
Global mercury deal On 19 January, after four years of deliberation, more than 140 countries agreed on the first global treaty to cut mercury pollution. It contains a mixture of mandatory and voluntary elements intended to control the growing global mercury crisis. Read more
Emissions reallocated to end-users Industries and homes together account for more than half of the energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, when emissions are aggregated at end-user level. Read more
Road charges for lorries could cut air pollution Introducing road charges for heavy goods vehicles that reflect the varied health effects of traffic pollution in different European countries would mean charges should be much higher in some countries compared to others. Read more
Tailwind for wind Wind power is coming of age. It supplies one-fortieth of the world’s electricity, and has grown tenfold in 10 years. There is room for much more. China and the US now lead the world. Read more
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