Month: February 2022

Source: https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/emissions-from-road-traffic-and Breaches of EU air quality limits for nitrogen dioxide across Europe were predominantly due to road traffic, while domestic heating lay behind the majority of exceedances for particulate matter, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment on air quality plans published today. Over the period 2014 to 2020, 944 air quality plans were reported to the EEA, according to the briefing ‘Managing air quality in Europe’ Briefing Managing air quality in Europe . Authorities in Member States are required to set up air quality plans to reduce air pollution in areas where EU air quality standards are exceeded and protect public health and ecosystems. The majority of the air quality plans focus on reducing levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less (PM10). From 2014 to 2020, just under two thirds of all reported exceedances of air quality standards were linked to dense traffic in urban centers and proximity to major roads,...

Source: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/managing-air-quality-in-europe Air quality remains a persistent problem in Europe, harming health and ecosystems. This briefing reviews the status of countries’ air quality plans, put in place for situations where air pollution limits are exceeded. It also identifies the sources behind such exceedances. The assessment covers 21 EU Member States, as well as Norway and the United Kingdom. The European-level assessment is complemented by case studies providing examples of measures that have led to improvements in air quality in seven European cities or regions. Key messages Over the period 2014-2020, 944 air quality plans were reported to the EEA. These plans were developed in response to EU air quality standards being exceeded, mainly in urban and suburban areas.Most air quality plans explicitly aim to protect health, with the majority focusing on reducing levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and coarse particulate matter (PM10).Sixty-four per cent of all exceedances reported were linked to emissions from road traffic, which was the main cause of NO2 exceedances.Domestic...

For the first time ever on a global scale, using satellite imagery, scientists have quantified volumes of massive methane emissions due to fossil-fuel extraction activities and their impact on the climate.Their findings partly explain why official inventories generally underestimate the volume of these emissions.Stopping these releases, be they accidental or deliberate, would save those countries responsible billions of dollars. An international study involving CNRS and CEA researchers and the company Kayrros has uncovered hundreds of major methane releases linked to global oil and gas extraction activities. The team of scientists has shown that limiting volumes released would mitigate climate effects and save money—billions of dollars for the main fossil-fuel-producing countries. Their study is published in Science (4 February 2022). A major contributor to climate change, methane (CH4) has a global warming potential approximately 30 times higher than that of CO2, over a 100-year period. One quarter of anthropogenic emissions of this greenhouse gas originate in worldwide extraction of coal, oil, and natural...

Over two days on the 17th and 18th of February 2022, EMME-CARE Partners from the Cyprus Institute, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the University of Helsinki came together to catch up on the progress of the project and plan next steps for the year ahead.The meeting also included presentations and the participation of the responsible Project Officers from the Research Executive Agency (European Commission) and the Deputy Ministry of Research & Innovation (Cyprus).Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the meeting took place virtually, including presentations from EMME-CARE Work Package leaders on the milestones, deliverables and relevant activities of the EMME-CARE project, and aligned on next steps to continue the project’s development.We very much look forward to continuing our excellent collaboration as part of the EMME-CARE Consortium and the great activities planned for the year ahead! ...

by European Public Health Alliance Air pollution remains the biggest environmental health risk in Europe and continues to be a major cause of premature death and disease. Yet, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a temporary increase in air quality as a result of lockdowns enforced to contain the spread of virus. Scientists have delved into the topic with current studies showing that improving air quality can decrease the health costs of epidemics, and health costs in general. In a recent event organised by EPHA: Air Pollution and Health: Improving Air Quality and Tackling Epidemics, researchers from Helmholtz Munich and CE Delft presented their findings, followed by a debate on measures to limit air pollution. According to Prof. Dr. Annette Peters (Helmholtz Munich), there is emerging evidence that air pollution is linked to infectious diseases. She stated that the pandemic situation is complex and studies have yet to understand the extent of its impact, however, action to reduce air...