1. Air quality legislation in Europe
an NGO perspective
Louise Duprez
EEB - European Environmental Bureau

2. Outline
• EEB – who we are
• EU ambitions for clean air
• State of the air quality in Europe
• Policy opportunities for cleaner air
- More stringent at source legislation across the EU
- Implementation at national and local level
- Highlighting best practices and NGO involvement
European Environmental Bureau

3. EEB – who we are
• Largest European federation of
environmental citizens’ organisations
~150 member organisations in ~30
countries
• Protect and improve the environment
of Europe
• Enable the citizens of Europe to play
their role in achieving this goal
• European wide network: working
groups on air, biodiversity, water,
waste, chemicals, etc.
European Environmental Bureau

4. European NGOs for clean air
European Environmental Bureau

5. Health and environmental
impacts
Adverse health impacts
• Close to half a million premature deaths a year
• Illnesses, respiratory diseases
• Social and financial costs for Europe
Impact on Europe’s biodiversity
eutrophication and acidification
European Environmental Bureau

6. EU air quality ambitions
• 6th Environment Action Programme
“Achieve levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant
negative impacts on and risks to human health and the
environment.”
• Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution
Objectives for 2020: reduce life expectancy losses (by 47%);
reduce mortalities due to ozone exposure (by 10%);
acidification and eutrophication reduction targets.
European Environmental Bureau

7. What has been achieved?
European Environmental Bureau

8. Emissions are going down…
EEA, 2008
European Environmental Bureau

9. … Concentration levels remain high
• PM and ozone concentrations (1997-2007)
20-50% of urban population potentially exposed to PM10
concentrations > limit values
14-62% of urban population exposed to ozone
concentrations > target values
No discernible trend over the period for both pollutants
• PM10 limit values exceeded in most Member States
European Environmental Bureau

10. What can be done?
European Environmental Bureau

11. EU legislation
• Further reduce emissions of air pollutants
Revision of the NEC Directive
Revision of the Sulfur
Content of Marine Fuels
Directive
• Better implement existing ambient air legislation
Implementation of new air quality directive
Monitoring of PM2.5
2013 review
European Environmental Bureau

12. How to improve the air - concrete solutions
• Subsidiarity principle
= MS are free to decide how to achieve
EU legally binding air quality standards
• Best practice examples Speed limit
Low emission zones Retrofitting of diesel
Congestion charges vehicles with particle
Synergies between air traps
and climate policies Public transport
improvement
European Environmental Bureau Domestic heating

13. Conclusions
• Air quality legislation offers possibilities to reduce climate
change and air pollution
• Local air quality plans need to be made, improved and
implemented
• EU legislation on emissions needs to be revised without
further delay
• Best practices examples: get inspiration from others
European Environmental Bureau

14. Thank you for your attention
Contact details:
Louise Duprez
European Environmental Bureau
Email: louise.duprez@eeb.org
Tel: +32 2 289 13 07