Air Implementation Pilot project in EU

A major environmental problem, air pollution affects human health as also the natural flora and fauna, particularly in urban areas all over the world. Stringent policies implemented across local and regional levels, supplemented with focused measures and actions, supported by technical advancement, have contributed to reduced emissions and noticeable improvement in air quality in many European cities in the past decade. However, few cities and regions still suffer from air pollutant levels higher than regulated levels.

Implementation of EU air quality policy is compliance based and ensures that countries attain the limit values. In 2012 and 2013, twelve European cities, supported by the EEA and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment, participated in the Air Implementation Pilot project, with focus on collaborative work needed to build capacity and knowledge to plan long term effective delivery of policies. This initiative helped to identify and address some of the key reasons for the implementation 'gap' between the air quality improvement initiatives and still persisting high concentrations of air pollutants in Europe's cities.

A follow up assessment report in 2018 was prepared in cooperation with 10 of the 12 original cities — Antwerp (Belgium), Berlin (Germany), Dublin (Ireland), Madrid (Spain), Malmö (Sweden), Milan (Italy), Paris (France), Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Prague (Czech Republic) and Vienna (Austria).

I have broken down various parts of the follow up assessment report in simple points below for a better understanding.

objectives:

1. Evaluation of progress, 5 years after conclusion of the pilot project

2. Continuation of exchange of good practices

3. Identification of new challenges

4. Review of current management practices

5. Implementation of local air quality policies in cities,

Aspects addressed:

As a part of the follow up, representatives from each of the 10 participating cities provided input to the updated study. Following five air quality-related work streams that were addressed in the 2013 Air Implementation Pilot project, were also assessed the 2018 follow-up:

1. Local emission inventories

2. Modelling activities

3. Monitoring networks

4. Management practices

5. Giving information to the public.

Positive conclusions:

1. Improved practices, particularly in use of assessment tools and methods to quantify the effects of measures.

2. Increased understanding of the sources of local air pollution and the transport of air pollutants.

3. Development of effective mitigation policies

4. Protection of human and environmental health

5. Identification of direct and indirect advantages and disadvantages of various actions.

Major Challenges:

1. Effective communication of air quality issues to the public

2. Achieving coherent governance across various administrative levels, especially towards analysing indirect benefits of implemented measures for different aspects such as climate change, noise, urban planning, and air quality.

Further steps proposed:

1. Actions at the city level must be supported through cooperation and coherent action across various governance levels, e.g. regional, national and EU levels.

2. Involving local administrations and policymakers at an early stage of national air quality planning processes to help implementation of mitigation measures.

3. Use economic incentives and environmental benefits as powerful drivers of change.

4. Channels and opportunities for regular exchange of information between city peers.

5. Exchange of specific, experience-based results from successful/unsuccessful strategies.

6. Encouraging collaboration between cities in areas of emerging interest such as the pollution sources, inland shipping, wood burning or construction/demolition.

7. Adopting an integrated multi-disciplinary approach to future of air quality management.

8. Promoting a behavioral change regarding urban mobility.

9. Assessing the future of low-emission zones in view of decreasing on-road emissions from new vehicle.

10. Discussing the most important air pollutants to be monitored to establish links with health.

11. Highlighting the co-benefits of air quality measures in relation to other policy areas, such as health, noise and climate change.

12. Targeting specific pollutant sources.

13. Improving local communication and outreach strategies, towards increased public awareness, engagement and acceptance of measures introduced to address poor air quality.

Conclusion

With rapid population growth, European cities are growing in size exposing more and more people to potentially exposed to air pollution. It is increasingly important for local authorities to follow coordinated and integrated policy strategies for successful implementation of local air quality measures to achieve better air quality in cities. Various initiatives and platforms such as the ‘Air Implementation Pilot Project’ offer sources of information and guidance across the EU, to support local air quality implementation. In my opinion, such landmark projects can be made more effective by establishing a single authoritative information platform at EU level to summarise effective management approaches and support sharing of experience and best practices.

Source and reference:

https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2018