8 Thematic study on air pollution
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12735/05
COM(05) 446
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| Commission Communication: Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution
Commission Staff Working Paper: Annex to the Commission Communication "Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution"
Commission Staff Working Paper: Annex to the Commission Communication "Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution" and the Directive on Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe - Impact Assessment
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 21 September 2005
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| Deposited in Parliament | 10 October 2005
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| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 28 October 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | No date set
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Not cleared; further information awaited
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Background
8.1 According to the Commission, the need for cleaner air has
been recognised for many years, with action having been taken
at both national and Community levels, as well as through active
participation in international conventions, such as that on Long-range
Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). In particular, the Community
has focused on establishing minimum quality standards for ambient
air and tackling the problems of acid rain and ground level ozone,
but it has also sought to reduce emissions from large combustion
plant and mobile sources; to improve fuel quality; and to integrate
environmental protection requirements into the transport and energy
sectors.
8.2 However, the Commission says that, despite significant
improvements, serious air pollution persists, leading the Community's
Sixth Environmental Action Programme (EAP) to call for the development
of a thematic strategy on air pollution, in order to avoid
significant risks to human health and the environment.
It has now examined whether current legislation is sufficient
to achieve these objectives by 2020, and has concluded that significant
problems will persist even with effective implementation of current
legislation. It has therefore sought in this document to outline
a strategy on air pollution, establishing interim objectives and
proposing appropriate measures for achieving them.
The current document
THE NATURE AND SCALE OF THE PROBLEM
8.3 The Commission describes air pollution as both
a local and a trans-boundary problem, with ground level ozone
and particulate matter ("fine dust") being of most concern
to health,[17] whilst
environmental damage arises from the deposition of acidifying
substances;[18] from
excess nutrient nitrogen, which can leach into freshwaters and
lead to eutrophication;[19]
and from ground level ozone, which causes damage to agricultural
crops, forests and plants, as well as to buildings. In particular,
it highlights both the reductions in life expectancy, and increases
in conditions such as cardiovascular disease and asthma, which
will occur if no further action is taken, and it suggests that,
in monetary terms, the damage to human health alone would be in
the range €189-609 billion per annum in 2020. It therefore
concludes that taking no further action is not an option.
8.4 However, the Commission points out that, whilst
achieving the environmental objectives in the EAP requires that
so-called critical loads and levels are not exceeded, there is
no known safe level of exposure of humans to certain pollutants.
It has therefore considered a range of scenarios, and has concluded
that even the application of all technically feasible measures
would not meet the EAP objectives. In view of this, it says that
a policy choice has to be made about the level of protection which
can be achieved by 2020, taking into account the benefits and
costs, and it suggests setting health and environmental objectives
and emission reduction targets for the main pollutants, with the
aim of reducing concentrations of particulate matter to 75% of
what is technically feasible by 2020, with a corresponding figure
of 60% for ground level ozone. In addition, the threat to the
natural environment from both acidification and eutrophication
would be reduced by 55% from what is technically possible.
8.5 The Commission says that, to achieve these objectives,
emissions of sulphur dioxide would need to decrease by 82%, those
of nitrogen oxide by 60%, those of volatile organic compounds
by 51%, those of ammonia by 27%, and those of primary particulate
matter by 59% compared with emissions in 2000. However,
it suggests that a large part of these reductions could be delivered
by measures already implemented by the Member States. It also
claims that this would result in health benefits of at least €42
billion per annum, and that the environmental benefits —
though unquantifiable — would also be significant, whilst
the estimated costs would be approximately €7.1 billion per
annum (representing about 0.05% of the GDP of the enlarged Community
in 2020).
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY
8.6 The Commission says that, in order to attain
these strategic objectives, current air quality legislation will
need to be simplified and other legislation revised where appropriate.
Improving existing environmental legislation
8.7 It proposes that the Air Quality Framework Directive[20]
should be combined with the first three "daughter" directives
adopted under it, covering respectively sulphur dioxide, nitrogen
dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead,[21]
benzene and carbon monoxide,[22]
and ozone,[23] whilst
the recently adopted Fourth Daughter Directive[24]
dealing with arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons will be merged later through a simplified
"codification" process. The Commission also says that
air quality limit values set by these Directives currently apply
throughout the territory of the Member States, whereas experience
has shown that there are zones suffering from exceptional problems.
Therefore, it proposes to allow Member States to request an extension
to the deadline for compliance in affected zones if strict criteria
are met and plans are in place to move towards compliance. It
is also proposing to replace the present system of monitoring
and reporting by Member States with a system of electronic reporting
based on a shared information system using the INSPIRE framework.
8.8 Other measures proposed include the control of
exposure to particulate matter, with a cap of 25 µg/m3
on the more hazardous fine particles below 2.5µg in
diameter. This would be combined with more comprehensive monitoring
of ambient levels of such particles in urban areas, and it is
proposed that all Member States should achieve a uniform interim
reduction target of 20% between 2010 and 2020, with that target
being reviewed when more information is available. The Commission
will also review the National Emissions Ceilings Directive in
2006, and will propose revisions based upon this Strategy.
Coherence with other environment policies
8.9 The Commission says that the proposed strategy
is consistent with climate change policies and will help meet
commitments to halt the loss of biodiversity and support its longer-term
recovery. It will also deliver progress towards the objectives
of the Community's mercury strategy by reducing combustion-related
emissions, the Water Framework Directive, and the forthcoming
thematic strategy on the marine environment. Likewise, the monitoring
of soil, water quality and biodiversity will feed into the evaluation
of air pollution policies since these are all affected by acidification
and nutrient nitrogen. Similarly, air quality monitoring and reporting
will support the Health & Environment Action Plan.
8.10 The Commission says that meeting the targets
set out in the Strategy will also require air quality concerns
to be integrated into other policy areas. These include:
- Energy
- The Commission says that more
efficient use of energy and better use of natural resources can
help to reduce harmful emissions, and it recalls that the Community
has indicative targets for the production of energy and electricity
from renewable energy sources by 2010, as well as for the increased
uptake of biofuels. In addition, action has been taken to curb
demand (including energy labelling, energy performance of buildings,
a Directive on cogeneration, and a Directive related to eco-design
requirements for energy-using products), whilst a recent Green
Paper on energy efficiency explores ways to make further progress
in this area.[25]
- Smaller combustion plants
- Whilst the Commission describes
such plants as an increasingly important emissions source, it
notes that they are not regulated at Community level. It says
that it will examine whether the Integrated Pollution Prevention
and Control (IPPC) Directive should be expanded to cover sources
below 50 MWth (megawatt thermal) and that harmonised
technical standards will also be developed for domestic combustion
appliances and their fuels. If feasible, smaller residential and
commercial buildings could be included in an extended directive
on energy efficiency.
- Emissions of volatile organic
compounds (VOC) at fuel stations
- Given the role of volatile
organic compounds in the formation of ground level ozone, the
Commission says that it will examine the scope to reduce further
emissions at petrol filling stations.
- Transport
- In keeping with the commitments
made in its White Paper on a Common Transport Policy,[26]
the Commission says that it will further encourage shifts towards
less polluting methods of transport, alternative fuels, reduced
congestion and the incorporation of externalities into transport
costs. It points out that it has already made proposals regarding
charges for the use of road infrastructure applicable to heavy
vehicles (Eurovignette), and says that a common framework for
all methods will be examined in due course. Other possible measures
include:
- The revitalisation and integration of European
railway systems, the promotion of intermodal freight transport
via the "Marco Polo" programme, and improvements in
transport efficiency through the European satellite radio navigation
programme GALILEO.
- Reductions in emissions from new passenger cars
and vans, together with a further tightening of those from heavy
duty vehicles, and an investigation into the feasibility of improving
the type approval process.
- Consideration of practical guidelines for differentiated
charging according to air pollution damage and impacts in environmentally
sensitive areas; obligations on public authorities to implement
minimum annual procurement quotas of new cleaner and energy efficient
vehicles; and the establishment of a common framework for designating
low-emission zones.
- Targeted retrofitting and scrapping schemes for
older road vehicles causing disproportionate levels of pollution.
- Exploring, in the context of the thematic strategy
on the urban environment, how best to help Member States and local
authorities devise and implement sustainable urban transport plans
which ensure that transport makes a fair contribution to the achievement
of air quality, noise and climate change objectives.
- Consideration, in connection with the recent
Communication[27] on
the use of economic instruments to reduce the climate change impact
of aircraft, of measures with potential synergies between climate
change and air quality.
- The submission of a recommendation for a Council
Decision authorising the Commission to strengthen current standards
for emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from ships
within the framework of the IMO, with consideration also being
given to a proposal for tighter standards for nitrogen oxides
by the end of 2006, if the IMO has not made any such proposals
by then.
- Agriculture
- The Commission notes that agriculture
accounts for the vast proportion of ammonia emissions, but that
recent reforms[28] of
the Common Agricultural Policy should bring about a reduction
in these. Further improvements are also expected to result from
an effective implementation of measures such as the Nitrates Directive,
the IPPC Directive, the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
and the Water Framework Directive.
- However, it suggests that these improvements
could be insufficient, and it says that it intends to pursue an
integrated approach to nitrogen management, with priority being
attached to measures which reduce "excessive" nitrogen
use in agriculture and which simultaneously address nitrates in
water, and ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions to air. In addition,
Member States will have to prepare plans to demonstrate how they
will meet the new ceilings for emissions set by the National Emissions
Ceilings Directive, whilst proposals for rural development for
2007-2013 provide opportunities to tackle ammonia emissions from
agricultural sources. Also, Member States' agri-environment schemes
can go beyond environmental legislative obligations and minimum
requirements for fertiliser use identified in rural development
programmes.
- Structural Funds
- The Commission observes that
the Structural Funds are co-financing many measures in the Member
States and regions which contribute to improved air quality, and
that its proposals for the reform of cohesion policy for 2007-2013
will help meet the objectives of this Strategy, for example by
support for sustainable transport systems, sustainable and cleaner
energy supplies, and the rehabilitation and reuse of derelict
land. In addition, environmental protection is included in the
three proposed Objectives of Convergence, Competitiveness and
Employment and Territorial Co-operation.
- International dimension
- The Commission says that, as
the regional and global background contribution to European air
pollution is growing, the Community must work on building an international
consensus around the importance of hemispheric pollution. It says
that it will lead, jointly with the USA, a new task force on hemispheric
air pollution within the CLRTAP, and that it is also stepping
up its cooperation with China on air pollution.
8.11 Finally, the Commission proposes that the Strategy
should be reviewed in 2010, thus feeding into the final evaluation
of the Sixth EAP, and that ongoing assessment of policies should
continue. It also says that more research will be required in
the coming years on emission sources, atmospheric chemistry and
pollutant dispersion, and on the effects of air pollution on health
and the environment. There is also a need to improve the monetary
evaluation of ecosystem impacts and to implement the analysis
of costs and effectiveness of measures in place.
The Government's view
8.12 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 28 October
2005, the Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare
at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr
Ben Bradshaw) says that the UK welcomes the publication of this
strategy and the accompanying impact assessment, regarding the
improvement of air quality and the reduction of detrimental effects
on human health and the environment as an issue of central importance.
In particular, he says that the Government is pleased to see that
the Commission has undertaken a thorough impact assessment, which
it regards as a key part of the better regulation agenda. He adds
that the Government is preparing its own Assessment of the impact
of the proposed measures in the UK, and that it expects to submit
this by the end of 2005. It also points out that the Communication
itself will result in neither costs nor benefits because it has
no legislative effect, but that the costs of any such measures
which the Commission subsequently brought forward would have to
be justified, including as regards any impact they might have
on competitiveness.
Conclusion
8.13 We note that the Government will be producing
a Regulatory Impact Assessment, and we propose to await this before
taking a view on this Communication, given both the extraordinarily
high level, and large spread, of the Commission's estimates of
the health costs of the levels of pollution currently expected
in 2020. In the meantime, we think it right to draw this wide-ranging
document to the attention of the House.
17 Ozone is not emitted directly, but is formed through
the reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen
oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight. Particulate matter can
be emitted directly to the air (so called primary particles) or
be formed in the atmosphere as "secondary particles"
from gases such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen
oxides and ammonia (NH3). Back
18
Nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and ammonia. Back
19
Euthrophication is an increase in plant life leading to a shortage
of oxygen. Back
20
Directive 96/62/EC OJ L 296, 21.11.1996, p.55. Back
21
Directive 1999/30/EC OJ L 163, 29.6.1999, p.41. Back
22
Directive 2000/69/EC OJ L 313, 13.12.2000, p.12. Back
23
Directive 2002/3/EC OJ L 67, 9.3.2002, p.14. Back
24
Directive 2004/107/EC OJ L 23, 26.1.2005, p.3. Back
25
(26683) 10368/05: see HC 34-vii (2005-06), para 1 (26 October
2005). Back
26
(22660) 11932/01: see HC 152-xv (2001-02), para 2 (30 January
2002). Stg Co Deb, European Standing Committee A (13 March
2002). Back
27
(26885) 12790/05: see HC 34-viii (2005-06), para 1 (2 November
2005). Back
28
For example, the removal an obligation to retain specific animal
numbers in order to receive support; the removal of incentives
towards intensification; and the introduction of obligatory cross
compliance. Back
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