Air Quality - ec.europa.eu

Air Quality

- revision of EU Rules -

23 September 2021

European Commission

Clean Air Unit

Welcome and introduction

“The Commission will draw on the lessons learnt from the evaluation of the current air quality legislation.

It will also propose to strengthen provisions on monitoring, modelling and air quality plans to help local authorities achieve cleaner air.

The Commission will notably propose to revise air quality standards to align them more closely with the World Health Organization recommendations.”

Communication on the European Green Deal (COM/2019/640 final)

Agenda for first stakeholder meeting

09:30 Welcome and Introduction

09:45 Air quality: revision of EU Rules

10:15 WHO Air Quality Guidelines

10:45 Coffee break

11:15 Policy area 1 – policy options

11:30 Structured discussion

12:30 Lunch break



15:15 Coffee break



16:45 Next steps

17:00 End of meeting

Who is here today?

In total, 400 participants have registered, including representatives from public authorities,

non-governmental organisations, business and industry, academia, as well as engaged citizens.

• 6 participants plan to join in person (Charlemagne, Brussels); all others would join online;

• experts from the World Health Organization;

• team of consultants that support this process (Trinomics, Ricardo, IIASA, Met Norway, VITO);

• colleagues from the European Commission that work on ‘air quality: revision of EU rules’.

… thank you to all of you for joining us here today!

Before we start: some housekeeping (1)

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and please include your organisation name

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• During the coffee breaks we will randomly allocate you to one of multiple break-out rooms,

in case you wish to further discuss or network with other attendees

• Please note: The meeting will be recorded (but the coffee break-out rooms will not)

Before we start: some housekeeping (2)

• The high number of participants requires the following procedure for the discussion sessions:

• Raise your hand if you have a comment relevant to the content of the workshop session

• We will then explicitly invite individuals to contribute and unmute your microphone

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in the ‘chat’ window which will be picked up after the event (+ recorded as part of the meeting)

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• If you face connection issues, please let ‘Pavla Cihlarova (Trinomics)’ know via the ‘chat’

window, or via email to [email protected]

Air quality: revision of EU Rules

EU clean air policy

National Emission reduction

Commitments Directive

National emission totals

(SO2, NOx, NMVOC, PM2.5, NH3)

Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) Directives

Maximum concentrations of

air polluting substances

(PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3 + 8 more)

Source-specific

emission standards

- IED Directive

- MCP Directive

- Eco-design Directive

- Energy efficiency

- Euro and fuel standards

REDUCING EMISSIONS

OF POLLUTANTS

SETTING OBJECTIVES

FOR GOOD AIR QUALITY

20%

40%

60%

0%

EU clean air policy works

Source(s): EEA Air Quality in Europe (2020) & https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/percentage-of-urban-population-in-13

EU urban population exposed to air pollution

above EU standards from 2000 to 2018

PM2.5

PM10

O3

NO2

20%

40%

60%

0%

EU clean air policy works … but …

PM2.5

PM10

O3

NO2

1-4%

10-15%

3-4%

21-34%

EU urban population exposed to air pollution above

EU standards in 2018 / 2019

Source(s): EEA Europe’s air quality status 2021 & https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/percentage-of-urban-population-in-13



PM2.5

PM10

O3

NO2

20%

40%

60%

0%

EU clean air policy works … but …

PM2.5

PM10

O3

NO2

61-74%

36-48%

3-4%

98-99%

EU urban population exposed to air pollution above

WHO (2005) guidelines in 2018 / 2019



PM2.5

PM10

O3

NO2

Source(s): EEA Europe’s air quality status 2021 & https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/percentage-of-urban-population-in-13

• Air quality remains a major health and environmental concern;

• Air quality standards have been instrumental, and partially effective, to reduce pollution;

• Current EU standards are less ambitious than scientific advice;

• Limit values have been more effective than other types of air quality standards;

• Legal enforcement action by European Commission, and civil society, works (with some caveats);

• Scope to further harmonise monitoring, modelling, and air quality plans;

• Not all reported data equally useful, e-reporting allows for further efficiency.

In 2019, an evidence-based, retrospective evaluation offered a number of lessons learnt:

Fitness Check of the AAQ Directives

A decade of air data

For period 2008 to 2018

from all Member States

Stakeholder feedback

Open public consultation

and expert questionnaires

Seven case studies

BG,DE,ES,IE,IT,SE,SK

each with specific focus

Literature & analysis

600 scientific sources

& a cost-benefit model

Key shortcomings

Exceedances above

WHO Air Quality

Guidelines and

negative health

impacts persist

Lack of flexibility to

adapt to evolving

science and new

recommendations

Health outcome shortcomings

EU Standards are not fully aligned

with scientific advice …

Air quality health outcome shortcomings

Pollutants 2005 WHO AQ Guidelines

EU AirStandards

EU Exceptions

PM10 (year) 20 µg/m3 40 µg/m3 -

PM10 (day) 50 µg/m3 50 µg/m3 (35d a year)

PM2.5 (year) 10 µg/m3 25 µg/m3 -

PM2.5 (day) 25 µg/m3 - -

NO2 (year) 40 µg/m3 40 µg/m3 -

NO2 (hour) 200 µg/m3 200 µg/m3 (18d a year)

SO2 (daily) 20 µg/m3 125 µg/m3 3d a year

O3 (8-hour) 100 µg/m3 120 µg/m3 (75d in 3yr)

NOTE: Revised WHO Air Quality Guidelines on 22 Sep 2021

Premature deaths due to air pollution

halved during last two decades, but …

Source(s): Fitness Check of the Ambient Air Quality Directive SWD(2019) 427

Insufficient penalties

and compensation

linked to exceedances

Air quality plans and

measures have often

proven ineffective

Implementation shortcomings

Exceedances are not always addressed

sufficiently and/or on time …

Air quality implementation shortcomings

Frequency, extent and magnitude of

exceedances has declined, but …

As of September 2021, still 31 cases addressing 18

Member States (+ 1 vs UK) related to bad application:

particulate matter (PM10 and/or PM2.5)

nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

sulphur dioxide (SO2)

monitoring problems

Of these, 15 cases (i.e. 9 Member States + 1 vs UK)

have been referred to the Court of Justice of the EU.

With 8 rulings so far: BG, PL, RO, IT, HU (for PM10) and UK, DE, FR (for NO2) .

These cases address both exceedances of air quality

standards and not keeping these as short as possible.

15

13

1

1

2

Local air quality is

impacted by

emissions outside

local control

Some measures may

be ineffective, or

seem disproportionate

Governance shortcomings

Air quality plans do not always address all

sources effectively ...

Air quality governance shortcomings

To limit exceedances, competent

authorities develop plans, but …

This combination requires air quality plans to address

all sectors & all scales – in a coherent manner (!)

Example: Air pollution (here: PM2.5) in Frankfurt (DE) is a

combination of emissions in the city, its surroundings,

the rest of the country and from other parts of Europe:

Source(s): Urban PM2.5 Atlas: Air Quality in European Cities (JRC, 2017)

Monitoring rules

offering flexibility are

sometimes ‘stretched’

Modelling ability has

improved, allows for

much more detail

Assessment shortcomings

Flexibilities may sometimes impact

the comparability of data …

Air quality assessment shortcomings

More than 4.000 air quality monitoring

stations deliver robust data, but …Establish air

quality zones

Macroscale siting

Microscale siting

Example: Frankfurt, DE

(Friedberger Landstr.)

Source(s): https://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/zones.htm

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/zones.htm

Concerns about

health impacts have

increased

Public information is

not always clear, and

not harmonised

Information shortcomings

Public feels under-informed about

poor air quality and its impacts …

Air quality information shortcomings

Reliable air quality information is widely

available, often even in real-time, but …

Source(s): Special Eurobarometer 497 (September 2019) & Air Quality Index

https://airindex.eea.europa.eu/

Health impacts, more than 400.000 premature deaths each

year across the EU, plus morbidity health impacts

Impacts on the EU’s international competitiveness, with

innovation potential, especially for clean air technologies

Measures to address air pollution may have effects on

employment

Environm

ent &

Health

Eco

no

mic

So

cia

l

Ecosystem impacts, eutrophication limits are being

exceeded in 62% of ecosystem areas across the EU territory

Links with climate change, as higher temperature are

associated with elevated ozone levels

Measures needed to meet EU air quality standards, with

costs for industry, transport, energy, and agriculture sector

Cost to society, EUR 20 bn direct cost to health-care, lost

work-days, crop losses, plus EUR 330-940 bn indirect costs

Inequalities and social sustainability, as groups of lower

economic status tend to be more negatively affected

Sensitive population groups (children, pregnant women,

elderly citizens) are more susceptible to air pollution

Synergies with other EU policies, and in particular with the

goals of the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan

Administrative burden of air quality management, in

particular as relates to air quality assessment regimes

Elevated concentration levels of air pollutants, both

general exposure of population and at pollution hotspots

The consequences of these shortcomings

Impact assessment

Problems DriversPolicy Context

Current

AAQDs

Fitness

Check

European

Green Deal

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Lack of flexibility to adapt to

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recommendations

Concerns about health

impacts have increased, not

addressed


measures have often proven

ineffective

Insufficient penalties and

compensation linked to

exceedances

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always available, and not

harmonised

Local air quality is impacted

by emission outside control


improved, allows for much

more details

Monitoring rules offering

flexibility are ‘stretched’ in

instances

Health outcome

shortcomings

EU Standards are not fully

aligned with scientific

advice …

AQ Information

shortcomings

Public feels under-informed

about poor air quality and

its impacts …

Some measures may seem

disproportionate, ineffective

AQ Implementation

shortcomings

Exceedances are not

always addressed

sufficiently and/or timely …

AQ Governance

shortcomings

Air quality plans do not

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effectively ...

AQ Monitoring

shortcomings

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impact the comparability of

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Synergies with other EU policies, and in particular with the goals of the

(upcoming) EU Zero Pollution Action Plan

Administrative burden of air quality management, in particular as relates to air

quality assessment regimes

Elevated concentration levels of air pollutants

Inte

rvention L

ogic

of th

e IA

Policy Area 1‘EU standards

Policy Area 2‘legislative frame’

Policy Area 3‘monitoring,

modelling

and plans’

Based on the current Ambient Air Quality Directives focus on three policy areas

• Policy area 1: closer alignment of the EU air quality standards with scientific knowledge

including the latest recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

• Policy area 2: Improving the air quality legislative framework, including provisions on

penalties and public information

• Policy area 3: strengthening of air quality monitoring, modelling and plans.

to be further developed into more detailed policy options / scenarios for each policy area

assess different levels of ambition for each policy option / scenario

Air policy revision: three policy areas

Annual mean level PM2.5

(µg/m3)

Mortality

Interim target 1 + 24 % above guideline level




AQ guideline level mortality at guideline level

Different levels of ambition (example: for PM2.5)

WHO – Air Quality guidelines and interim targets for PM (annual mean)

EU standards

today / baseline

Low ambition

Mid ambition

High ambition

-

AMBITION LEVEL

35

25

15

10

5

PM2.5 concentrations in 2019 by country

Source(s): EEA Europe’s air quality status 2021

IT-2

IT-3

IT-4

Guideline

WHO (2021)

Assessment of policy options per policy area

Low ambition

policy options

limited changes to legislative

framework

Mid ambition

policy options

some changes to legislative

framework

High ambition

policy options

comprehensive changes to

legislative framework


Baseline

no changes to

legislative framework

Low ambition

policy options

limited changes to monitoring,

modelling and plans

requirements

Mid ambition

policy options

some changes to monitoring,

modelling and plans

requirements

High ambition

policy options

comprehensive changes to

monitoring, modelling and

plans requirements

Policy Area 3‘mon-mod-plans’

Baseline

no changes to

monitoring, modelling and

plans requirements

based on assessment of consequences, combine different policy options to policy packages

Scenario 2: low ambition WHO

interim target by 2030Policy Area 1‘EU Standards’ Scenario 5: mid ambition WHO

interim target by 2050

Scenario 6: (high ambition)

WHO guideline levels by 2030

Scenario 3: low ambition WHO


Scenario 4: mid ambition WHO


Scenario 7: (high ambition)

WHO guideline levels by 2050

Baseline (Scenario 1)

no changes to

EU standards

PM2.5 at

20/25 µg/m3

PM2.5 at

15 µg/m3 PM2.5 at

10 µg/m3

PM2.5 at

5 µg/m3

Have your say

On 23 September 2021 (today), we have launched a twelve week online public consultation –

we invite you to reply to a four-part questionnaire until 16 December 2021:

• Part 1: About you – questions about yourself and why you are answering this questionnaire.

• Part 2: General questions section – 19 questions on your views on air quality issues.

• Part 3: Specialised questions section – 8 questions on your views on air quality measures.

• Part 4: Concluding questions & remarks – share your thoughts on key topics not covered.

your feedback today, and your feedback to the online public

consultation, will inform the impact assessment.

Clean Air Milestones 2020 to 2023 (indicative)

I / 2020 II / 2020 I / 2021 II / 2021 I / 2022 II / 2022 I / 2023

Fitness Check

(published in Nov 2019)

Council Conclusions

NEC Implementation Report

(Commission Communication)

Expert consultation

(on monitoring, modelling, plans)

WHO Guidelines publication

(postponed to II/2021)

Zero Pollution Action Plan

Finalisation of

Impact Assessment (air quality)

Council discussions of

legislative proposal

(air quality - revision of EU rules)

Submission of Second

National Air Pollution Control

Programmes begins

EEA Air Quality Report 2020

Inception Impact Assessment

(revising the Air Quality Directive)

Second Clean Air Outlook

(Commission Report)

EEA Air Quality Briefings 2021


(22 September 2021)

Public consultation: air quality


3rd EU Clean Air Forum

(18 & 19 November in Madrid)


Adoption: legislative proposal


Review Gothenburg Protocol

(Air Convention)

Third Clean Air Outlook

(Commission Report)

II / 2023


4th EU Clean Air Forum

(location to be determined)

WHO Air Quality Guidelines (revised)WHO Regional Office Europe

Coffee breakAir quality – revision of EU rules

Please do

not

disconnect

Policy area 1 Closer alignment of the EU air quality standards with scientific knowledge

including the latest recommendations of the World Health Organization

Problems Drivers




Interventions



recommendations



addressed



ineffective



exceedances



harmonised





more details



instances

Health outcome

shortcomings



advice …

AQ Information

shortcomings



its impacts …



AQ Implementation

shortcomings

Exceedances are not

always addressed


AQ Governance

shortcomings



effectively ...

AQ Monitoring

shortcomings



data …

Policy Area 1‘EU Standards



modelling

and plans’

Key Objectives

Policy Area 1 - Closer alignment of the EU air

quality standards with scientific knowledge

including the latest recommendations of the

World Health Organization:

• to improve ambient air quality to the greatest

extent possible taking into account the latest

scientific advice, feasibility, costs, benefits.

Policy area 1 Presentation of policy options and preliminary analysis

Policy area 1:

Closer alignment of air quality standards with scientific knowledge, including WHO recommendations

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)Zbigniew Klimont, Gregor Kiesewetter, Chris Heyes

Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET Norway)Bruce Rolstad Denby, Agnes Nyiri, Qing Mu and Hilde Fagerli

Study to support the impact assessment for a revision of the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives

Workshop #1, 23/09/2021

Limit values

on annual

mean ambient

PM2.5

concentrations

Activity projectionsCurrent plans on emission

control legislation

Emissions of SO2, NOx, PM2.5, NH3, VOC, BC, OC;

Ambient PM2.5 background

concentrations

Fine scale ambient concentrations of

PM2.5, NO2, O3, SO2, CO, BaP, benzene*

Health

impacts from

PM2.5, NO2,

O3

Compliance at hot spots /

contributions to non-compliance

GAINS

EMEP model + uEMEP

*Do not include HM

Ecosystem

impacts

Emission control costs

Co-be-

nefits

Costs to society

(monetised impacts

Impacts on

international

competitiveness

and

employment

Societal impacts

and

Effects of air pollution on

sensitive population

groups

Administrative burden

SCM

JRC-GEM-E3

5

6

7

8

9

10

1

2

3

4

11

12

12

5

2

8

9

1 3 11

6

4

7

10

1

Impact Assessment Modelling

Method/Approach

Develop several cost-effective policy scenarios with different ambition levels (considering both concentration level and time of attainment)

36

• Key tools/models: GAINS, EMEP, uEMEP

• GAINS check feasibility at background locations and provide

quantification of emissions and costs at MS level

• GAINS emissions used in EMEP/uEMEP models to estimate

concentration of all pollutants

• When attainment not feasible, additional analysis with

GAINS and uEMEP to identify local source contributions

Preparatory analysis with GAINS

37

Emission inputs for preparatory analysisused in GAINS and EMEP/uEMEP models for ambient concentrations

• Nationally reported emissions for 2018

• GAINS baseline emissions (2020-2050) for PM2.5 as well as PM and ozone precursors considering

• 2nd Clean Air Outlook (including NAPCP),

• Green Deal (Fit for 55),

• For non-EU – based on the recent World Energy Outlook and FAO

• GAINS maximum mitigation cases (MFR) for 2030 and 2050• Only EU-27 and shipping,

• For the rest of Europe, emissions follow the baseline assumptions

38

39

Emission trends in the EU-27

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

SO2 [kt SO2]

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

NOx [kt NO2]

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

PM2.5 [kt]

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

NH3 [kt NH3]

PM2.5 concentrations from GAINS model (incl. natural sources)

Baseline - 2030

Population exposure> 5 µg/m3 = 367 million

> 10 µg/m3 = 39 million


2020

Map legend




PM2.5 concentrations from GAINS model (incl. natural sources) MFR for EU-27 only

Baseline - 2030




2020

Map legend




MFR (EU27) - 2030




42

PM2.5 Population exposure - Summary of preliminary scenario calculations using the existing GAINS methodology

Preparatory calculations with EMEP/uEMEP

43

• EMEP calculates on a 0.1o grid for a large range of pollutants and 13 GNFR sectors, plus

natural emissions

• Total emissions per sector and country are provided by GAINS for the scenarios and these are

spatially distributed using the country submitted EMEP 0.1o gridded emissions

• uEMEP downscales a selected number of sectors using high resolution emission proxies

• Maps are produced at 250 m resolution

• Monitoring sites are calculated at 25 m resolution

44

EMEP and uEMEP calculations

45

High resolution calculations for Europe using EMEP/uEMEP (2018)

NO2 EMEP (0.1o) NO2 uEMEP (250 m)µg/m3

Brussels Wrocław Brussels Wrocław

46

High resolution calculations of NO2 around Brussels using EMEP/uEMEP

NO2 EMEP (0.1o) NO2 uEMEP (250 m)

µg/m3

47

PM2.5 EMEP (0.1o) PM2.5 uEMEP (250 m)

High resolution calculations of PM2.5 around Wrocław using EMEP/uEMEP

µg/m3

Preparatory calculations at monitoring sites

(all Airbase station classifications)

48

49

PM2.5 exceedance calculations at monitoring sites (25 m)using EMEP/uEMEP: validation using country submitted emissions

uEMEP bias = -9%

50

PM2.5 exceedance calculations at monitoring sites (25 m) using EMEP/uEMEP: scenarios using GAINS emissions

51

NO2 exceedance calculations at monitoring sites (25 m) using EMEP/uEMEP: validation using country submitted emissions

uEMEP bias = -18%

52

NO2 exceedance calculations at monitoring sites (25 m) using EMEP/uEMEP: scenarios using GAINS emissions

Preparatory calculations of population exposure

53

54

Maps showing the change in PM2.5 from baseline 2020 to 2030

2020 base: PM2.5 uEMEP (250 m)µg/m3

55

2030 base: PM2.5 uEMEP (250 m)µg/m3

Maps showing the change in PM2.5 from baseline 2020 to 2030

56

PM2.5 exceedance calculations for population (250 m)using EMEP/uEMEP: scenarios using GAINS emissions

57

PM2.5 exceedance calculations for population (250 m)using EMEP/uEMEP and GAINS: scenarios

EMEP/uEMEP

GAINS

58

Maps showing the change in NO2 from baseline 2020 to 2030

2020 base: NO2 uEMEP (250 m)µg/m3

59

2030 base: NO2 uEMEP (250 m)µg/m3

Maps showing the change in NO2 from baseline 2020 to 2030

60

NO2 exceedance calculations for population (250 m)using EMEP/uEMEP: scenarios using GAINS emissions

• Significant reductions in exposure in Baseline and MFR scenarios, much larger than model

uncertainties

• Wide-spread compliance with current AAQ limit values expected for NO2 and PM2.5 in the baseline

• Model slightly underestimates both PM2.5 and NO2 – will be taken into account

• Scale matters for exceedance calculations, particularly for NO2

• Large reductions in traffic emissions for NOX will lead to other sources dominating NO2 exposure

• Residential combustion will remain a key source of PM2.5 exposure

61

Summary of preliminary analysis

Next steps

62

• Further development and assessment of the emissions and modelling system is ongoing

• Improve consistency between uEMEP and GAINS results; important for cost-effectiveness analysis

• Similar analysis will be performed for SO2, O3, CO, BaP and Benzene

• For heavy metals, a simplified assessment will be performed

• Final set of scenarios will be assessed early 2022, including

• Validation of 2015-2020 emissions from 2021 round of national submissions

• Reviewing NAPCP submissions from 2020/21 and comments from the stakeholder consultations

• New baseline for non-EU countries

• Euro VII [?]

• Development of the cost-effective scenarios to achieve AAQ limit values of varying stringency

• Analysis of local sources leading to non-compliance

63

Way forward

Lunch breakAir quality – revision of EU rules

Please do

not

disconnect

Policy area 2 Improving the air quality legislative framework, including provisions on

penalties and public information

Problems Drivers




Interventions



recommendations



addressed



ineffective



exceedances



harmonised





more details



instances

Health outcome

shortcomings



advice …

AQ Information

shortcomings



its impacts …



AQ Implementation

shortcomings

Exceedances are not

always addressed


AQ Governance

shortcomings



effectively ...

AQ Monitoring

shortcomings



data …




modelling

and plans’

Key Objectives

Policy Area 2 - Improving the air quality

legislative framework, including provisions

on penalties and public information

• To improve the quality and timely implement-

tation of air quality plans to achieve air quality

objectives, and strengthen public participation

in the development of air quality plans.

• To include clearer provisions on access to

justice, penalties and compensation linked to

clean air in EU legislation.

Policy area 2 Presentation of policy options

68Ricardo Confidential© Ricardo plc

Policy area 2 – Elements to consider to address shortcomings

Adding an explicit mechanism

for adjusting EU air quality

standards to the evolving

technical and scientific progress,

including for air pollutants

that are at present not covered

(cf. Directive 2008/50, Article 32;

Directive 2004/107, Article 8)

Further defining the different types

of air quality standards

(especially average exposure

indicators) and the actions

their exceedances would trigger

(cf. Directive 2008/50,

Articles 2, 12 to 16 and

Annexes VII, XI to XIV;

Directive 2004/107,

Articles 2, 3 and Annex I)

Expanding the requirements for

action required in case of

exceedances, including the role

of air quality plans and

short-term action plans

(cf. Directive 2008/50

Articles 17, 18, 19, 23 and 24;


Specifying provisions to guide

the development of

air quality plans, including

on who to involve and

on vertical and horizontal

coordination between levels of

governance in their implementation


Article 23 and Annex XV)

Expanding the provision on

sanctions and penalties,

and adding additional provisions

on access to justice and

compensation related to damage

suffered from air pollution

(cf. Directive 2008/50 Article 30;


Expanding the requirements on

the provision of information,

especially related to information

on health impacts, harmonisation

of air quality indices and

reporting deadlines


Articles 26, 27 and Annex XVI;

and Directive 2004/107, Articles 7)


Policy area 2 – long-list of potential interventions – some examples

Elements to consider Examples of interventions

Adding an explicit mechanism

for adjusting EU air quality

standards to the evolving

technical and scientific

progress, including for air

pollutants that are at present

not covered

1. Introduce a mechanism for adjusting air quality standards upon publication of new WHO

guidelines or based on emergency response type trigger i.e. latest scientific advice.

2. Introduce a provision to allow EU Member States to adopt more stringent standards in light of

the new technical and scientific progress coupled with a notification mechanism to the European

Commission.

3. Require the priority pollutant list to be updated periodically (e.g. every 5 years) to add emerging

pollutants to it (I.e. Ultra-Fine Particulates, pesticides)

Further defining the different

types of air quality standards

(especially average exposure

indicators) and the actions their

exceedances would trigger

4. Introduce ‘limit values’ for all pollutants, replacing ‘target values’.

5. Add short-term standards (daily- or hourly- mean) for all relevant pollutants for which currently

only long-term standards (annual-mean) exist e.g. PM2.5.

6. Require Member States to take short-term action plans if daily or hourly limit values are

exceeded.



Expanding the requirements for action

required in case of exceedances,

including the role of air quality plans

and short-term action plans

7. Maintain and further specify the obligation to set out “appropriate measures, so that the

exceedance period can be kept as short as possible”

8. Introduce the obligation to adopt effective short-term action plans for all pollutants to

prevent / tackle pollution events.

9. Clearer coordination with the development and implementation of short-term action plans

under Article 24 and air quality plans under Article 23, obliging Member States to report on

the implementation of their air quality plans.

Specifying provisions to guide the

development of air quality plans,

including on who to involve and on

vertical and horizontal coordination

between levels of governance in their

implementation

10. Issue guidance on the information to be included in air quality plans

11. Define the requirements in terms of air quality plans vs air quality zones to ensure

harmonisation (avoiding zones with multiple plans and plans for multiple zones)

12. Introduce the requirement for Member States to develop specific legislative instruments

to ensure clear allocation of responsibilities and coordination between national / regional /

local levels of governance

Policy area 2 – long-list of potential interventions – some examples (II)



Expanding the provision on sanctions

and penalties, and adding additional

provisions on access to justice and

compensations, that exceedances of air

quality standards could lead to

13. Introduction of minimum penalty levels (to be adjusted per Member State living

standards)

14. Set a fund to be fed by the payment of penalties and which can be used to

compensate material damage or finance air quality measures.

15. introduction of an ‘access to justice’ clause in the Ambient Air Quality Directives. .

Expanding the requirements on the

provision of information, especially

related to information on health impacts,

and on harmonisation of air quality

indices and reporting deadlines

16. Define specifically what kind of air quality and health information needs to be made

available to the public; also how that should be made available (standardisation)

17. Establish alert thresholds for all air pollutants at EU level

18. Require Member States to use harmonised air quality index bands.

Policy area 2 – long-list of potential interventions – some examples (III)


• Are the six broad elements or areas to be considered sufficient or are there elements missing?

• Feedback on the examples of interventions:

– Do the interventions presented sound appropriate?

– What interventions are we missing?

– Feedback on the feasibility of the different measures?

– Are there measures that stand out in terms of importance, potential effectiveness?

Discussion Questions


Summary

Elements to consider Possible interventions

Adding an explicit mechanism for adjusting EU

air quality standards to the evolving technical

and scientific progress

• Mechanism to adjust air quality standards to new WHO guidelines / latest scientific advice;

• allow EU MS to adopt more stringent standards reflecting technical and scientific progress + notify EC;

• require the priority air pollutant list to be updated periodically and add emerging pollutants to it.

Further defining air quality standards (average

exposure indicators) and exceedances actions

• Introduce ‘limit values’ for all air pollutants, replacing ‘target values’;

• add short-term standards for all air pollutants with currently only long-term standards, e.g. PM2.5;

• require Member States to take short-term action plans in case of exceedances of short-term

standards.

Expanding actions required to address

exceedances (air quality plans and short-term

action plans)

• Further specify the obligation for measures to keep exceedance period as short as possible;

• introduce obligation for effective short-term action plans to prevent / tackle air pollution events;

• clearer coordination between short-term action plans and air quality plans.

Specifying provisions to guide the development

of air quality plans, including on governance

• Guidance on the information to be included in air quality plans;

• define requirements in terms of air quality plans vs air quality zones to ensure harmonisation;

• introduce legislative instruments for clear responsibilities between different levels of MS governance.

Expanding the provision on sanctions and

penalties

• Introduction of minimum penalty levels;

• create a fund from penalties and use proceeds to compensate for damages / fund AQ measures;

• ‘access to justice’ clause in the AAQD.

Expanding the requirements on the provision of

information

• Standardisation of necessary health related air quality information provisions, including air quality

indices, timelines, or air pollutant alert thresholds.

Coffee breakAir quality – revision of EU rules

Please do

not

disconnect

Policy area 3 Strengthening of air quality monitoring and modelling, and air quality plans

Problems Drivers




Interventions



recommendations



addressed



ineffective



exceedances



harmonised





more details



instances

Health outcome

shortcomings



advice …

AQ Information

shortcomings



its impacts …



AQ Implementation

shortcomings

Exceedances are not

always addressed


AQ Governance

shortcomings



effectively ...

AQ Monitoring

shortcomings



data …




modelling

and plans’

Key Objectives

Policy Area 3 - Strengthening of air quality

monitoring and modelling, and air quality

plans

• To further improve the reliability and

comprehensiveness of air quality

assessments undertaken by national,

regional and local authorities.

• To ensure that the public in all Member States

receive the same high quality and timely

information about their air quality.

Policy area 3 Presentation of policy options


Policy area 3 – Elements to consider to address shortcomings (1)

Augmenting the rules on the

Establishment of assessment

Regimes, and on the scope to

combine monitoring, modelling

other assessment methods

(cf. Directive 2008/50, Chapter II;


Changing requirements for the

number and type of sampling

points required for measuring

air pollution concentrations


Annexes II, V and IX;

Directive 2004/107,

Annex I)

Expanding the requirements for the

continuity of measurements in the

same location, in particular in the

case of elevated pollution levels –

and adding requirements for the

discontinuation or relocation of

sampling points


Annex V)

Changing and clarifying

requirements for micro- and

macro-scale siting of sampling

points for measuring air

pollutant concentrations


Annex III, IV, VIII,

Directive 2004/107 Annex III)


Policy area 3 – Elements to consider to address shortcomings (2)

Altering approaches to assess

the contributions from natural

sources, the exceedances

attributable to winter sanding

or –salting of roads, or the

transboundary contributions

to exceedances


Articles 20 and 21)

Adding requirements on the

minimum elements required for

air quality plans, and the methods

used to estimate the impact

of measures, for example as regard

the use of modelling and/or

costs benefits assessment


Annex XV)

Expanding requirements for which

air pollutants to monitor and how

to measure these

(cf. Directive 2008/50 Annex VI, X;

Directive 2004/107, Annex V) and

adding requirements to

monitor additional air pollutants

such as ultrafine particles

Consolidating requirements for

data quality objectives (and for

modelling quality objectives) for

assessments and reference

measurement methods


Annex I, Annex VI; and Directive

2004/107 Annex IV, Annex V)


Policy area 3 – Strengthening of monitoring, modelling & plans


Augmenting the rules on the

establishment of assessment

regimes, and on the scope to

combine monitoring, modelling

and other assessment methods

1. Address the ambiguity regarding the use of indicative measurements for compliance

assessment

2. Improve the explanation for the use of models in compliance assessment

3. Clarify the role of industrial point source sampling monitoring within compliance assessment

Changing requirements for the

number and type of sampling

points required for measuring

air pollution concentrations

4. Redefine the requirements on the number of sampling points per air quality zone

5. Clarify the proportion of type of sampling points

6. Clarify the use of indicative monitoring




Expanding requirements for the

continuity of measurements in

the same location, in particular

in case of elevated air pollution

levels – and adding

requirements for the

discontinuation or relocation of

sampling points

7. Setting requirements on continuity of monitoring, once a site is established, for a fixed amount

of years following compliance is achieved (to account for meteorological influences).

Includes a protocol to follow if it is essential that a monitor has to move.

Changing and clarifying

requirements for micro- and

macro-scale siting of sampling

points for measuring air

pollutant concentrations

8. Consideration of spatial representativeness analysis to define sampling locations using a tiered

approach1 Relevant metadata are required

9. Provision of further definition of micro siting criteria required for reporting

1 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/documents/Report%20on%20Application%20of%20Siting%20Criteria%20and%20Sampling%20Point%20Classification.pdf




Consolidating requirements for

data quality objectives (and for

modelling quality objectives)

for assessments and reference

measurement methods

10. FAIRMODE Modelling Quality Objective to be incorporated into compliance assessment

procedures

11. Further define how the Modelling Quality Objective should be applied in practice (number

and types of stations, time periods covered, size of model domain)

12. Changes to the data quality objectives and introduction of a protocol when data capture

<90%

Expanding requirements for

which air pollutants to monitor

and how to measure these and

adding requirements to

monitor additional air

pollutants such ultrafine

particles

13. Require an increase in monitoring of ozone and volatile organic compounds. Remove the

other pollutant dependences on the rules on number sampling sites for all pollutants.

Consideration of changes to heavy metal and PAH monitoring requirements.

14. Introduction of mandatory supersites in urban areas to complement EMEP rural sites with

emphasis on monitoring for emerging issues

15. Introduce requirements for minimum monitoring standards for monitoring ultrafine particles,

black carbon, ammonia and methane and align micro and macro siting criteria




Altering approaches to assess

the contributions from natural

sources, the exceedances

attributable to winter-sanding

or -salting of roads, or the

transboundary contributions to

exceedances

15. Provision of clearer guidance on estimating the contribution from winter sanding/salting or

roads with worked examples

16. Provision of clearer guidance on estimating the contribution from natural sources, sea-salt,

volcanic eruptions and wild-land fires with worked examples

17. Provision of guidance on modelling the transboundary contribution to exceedances.

Mandate estimation of transboundary contribution.

Adding requirements on the

minimum elements required

for air quality plans, and the

methods used to estimate the

impact of measures, for

example as regard the use of

modelling and/or cost benefit

assessment

18. Adding guidance on methods to estimate source apportionment, or references to use

existing FAIRMODE guidance

19. Provision of guidance on how to develop an air quality plan e.g., development of long list of

interventions and screening to reduce to short list. Clear methodology for use of modelling to

assess measure impact

20. Provision of guidance on the cost benefit assessment of measures


• Are the eight broad elements or areas to be considered sufficient or are there elements missing?

• Feedback on the examples of interventions:

– Do the interventions presented sound appropriate?

– What interventions are we missing?

– Feedback on the feasibility of the different measures?

– Are there measures that stand out in terms of importance, potential effectiveness?

Discussion


Augment assessment

regime rules

# / type of sampling

points

Continuity /

discontinuation /

relocation of sampling

points

Micro and macro-

scale siting of

sampling points

Which pollutants to

measure and how

Assessment of natural

/ winter sanding /

transboundary

contributions

Data qualityRequirements around

developed AQ plans

In compliance assessment:

1. Address ambiguity around

indicative measurements

2. Clarify use of models

3. Clarify role of industrial

point source monitoring

4. Redefine requirements on #

sampling points

5. Clarify % split sampling point

type

6. Clarify use of indicative

monitoring

7. Requirements on monitoring

for x years after compliance

8. Spatial representativeness

to define locations

9. Further define micro siting

criteria

10. Incorporate FAIRMODE

Modelling Quality Objective

11. Define how Quality

Objective is applied in practice

12. Protocol when data

capture <90%

13. Increased monitoring of

ozone and VOCs. Changes to

HM and PAH requirements.

14. Mandatory urban supersites

15. Monitoring standards for

emerging pollutants

15. Clearer guidance on

estimating contribution from

winter sanding/salting and/or

natural sources

16. Mandatory estimation of

transboundary contribution

Guidance on:

18. Source apportionment

19. Developing AQ plans

20. Cost benefit analysis

Next steps

Immediate next steps

• We will share by email a ‘curated’ chat protocol with all registered participants that gave us

permission to mail (pls indicate to us today if you do NOT wish to have your contribution included)

• We will upload the slides presented at this meeting on our website

• Please have your say via the online public consultation (by 16 Dec 2021)

• Please do not hesitate to share evidence also via [email protected]

• Join us at the EU Clean Air Forum (on 18-19 Nov 2021, Madrid – please register)

• Meanwhile the impact assessment work will continue …

• … and we hope to see you at our second stakeholder meeting during first half of 2022

mailto:[email protected]

Clean Air Milestones 2020 to 2023 (indicative)

I / 2020 II / 2020 I / 2021 II / 2021 I / 2022 II / 2022 I / 2023

Fitness Check

(published in Nov 2019)

Council Conclusions

NEC Implementation Report

(Commission Communication)

Expert consultation

(on monitoring, modelling, plans)


(postponed to II/2021)

Zero Pollution Action Plan

Finalisation of

Impact Assessment (air quality)

Council discussions of

legislative proposal


Submission of Second

National Air Pollution Control

Programmes begins

EEA Air Quality Report 2020

Inception Impact Assessment

(revising the Air Quality Directive)

Second Clean Air Outlook

(Commission Report)



(22 September 2021)

Public consultation: air quality


3rd EU Clean Air Forum

(18 & 19 November in Madrid)


Adoption: legislative proposal


Review Gothenburg Protocol

(Air Convention)

Third Clean Air Outlook

(Commission Report)

II / 2023


4th EU Clean Air Forum

(location to be determined)

Thank you

Contact us:

[email protected]

Have your say:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12677-Revision-of-EU-Ambient-Air-Quality-legislation

Air Quality - ec.europa.eu

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