Air pollution policy: Institutional and administrative set-up

1. Air pollution policy:Institutional and administrative set-up Bob Nieuwejaers Head of Divison Division Air, Nuisance, Risk management, Environment and Health Department Environment, Nature and Energy Flemish Government Bob.nieuwejaers@lne.vlaanderen.be

2. Division of competences • Belgium = federated state • 4 state reforms (1970, 1980, 1988-89, 1993) • Federal government • 3 communities: Flemish, French and German-speaking • 3 regions: Flemish, Walloon and Brussels Capital

3. Division of competences (2) • Federal government: • Product policy (standards and taxes) • Protection against ionising radiation, incl. waste • Competences in related policy matters: income taxes, mobility (partly), energy (partly),… • Communities: health protection (partly); no environmental competences

4. Division of competences (3) 3. Regional competences: all the rest • Protection of the environment • Waste policy • Water protection and supply • Air: emission inventories, monitoring, target and standard setting, planning, measures, permits and enforcement for stationary sources,taxes on vehicles (recently),…

5. Administrative set-up in the Flemish region 1. Department on Environment, Nature and Energy (LNE). • Air divison (ALHRMG): Policy planning and coordination, legislation, measures and action plans, international matters, cooperation on every level ( other divisons, agecies and policy departments; local governments, stakeholder organisations,…) • Permit divison (AMV) • Environmental inspectorate (AMI) • International divison, legal divison, budget,…

6. Administrative set-up in the Flemish region (2) 2. Flemish Environmental Agency (VMM) • Emission Inventories • Air quality monitoring an reporting • Modelling of air quality • Policy advice in related issues • Information of the public • Environmental reporting (MIRA T, E and S)

7. Administrative set-up in the Flemish region (3) 3. Interregional CelI (IRCEL) • Common automatic air quality monitoring network (3 regions) • Related research, modelling and information of the public • Coordination of international reporting for Belgium 4. Flemish Energy Agency (VEA) 5. Flemish Land Agency (VLM): NH3 emissions

8. Cooperation between regions and federal government Belgian position in international negociations and debates must be agreed on among all parties • Coordination Committee on International Environmental Policies (CCIM) => Steering group on Atmosphere • Important decisions at Ministerial level (ICL) • Also works as Platform for coordination on implementation • However, each region and the federal state are equally responsible for their own policy and implementation of international obligations

9. Case 1: National Emission Ceilings (2001/81/EC) • Ceilings from the NEC directive (in ktonnes): • Split-up into 4 subceilings: *= stationary sources:

10. NEC-ceilings (2) • Original ceilings (first COM proposal) were higher than the final ceilings • Based on these original ceilings: every region consulted major sectors • Based on this consultation and literature study every region proposed a ceiling. The sum was the basis for the negotiations with the EC that led to the final ceilings

11. NEC: General approach in Flanders • Extensive study programme: sectoral studies for all major industrial sectors - description of the sector - socio-economic characteristics - historical emission data - projections on activities, energy use and emissions - description of possible additional measures - drawing up of marginal cost curves

12. NEC: General approach in Flanders (2) 2. Creation of support and engagement of sectors and companies; continuous debate from the start with each industrial sector 3. Reduction programme: from sectoral study till legisation or voluntary approach 4. Economic instruments (taxes, trading) considered but finally not used (used as a final threat to reach sufficient ambition levels 5. Cooperation with federal (product standards), permit divison, Inspectorate 6. Tansport (national ceiling): see next presentation for Flemish measures

13. Case 2: Air Quality Directives 1. Implementation of the legislation is a regional competences: specific legislation in each region 2. Drawing action plans and derogation requests is a regional competence 3. Regional action plans include measures at regional, federal and local level 4. Coordination between regional action plans (IRCEL) 5. At Flemish level: different Task Forces to draw up and implement action plans

14. Coordination structures at Flemish level 1. Task Force within Environment Department (LNE) • ALHRMG, AMV, AMI, VMM, VITO • General discussions on action plans and new legislation • Translation of action plans into specific actions at company, sector and local level • e.g. Antwerp area (LNE, City, Port Authority) • Task Forces for specific hot spot areas • Task Force on measures at local level ( cities, provinces) • Concertation with industrial sectors (e.g. bulk storage and handling)

15. Practical implementation issues • Use a planned and timed approach • Provide sufficient human capacity from the start • Ensure sufficient scientific underpinning of your programmes • Good emission inventories and projections • Comprehensive set of models and data • Monitoring equipment • Don’t reinvent the wheel: learn as much as possible from countries with similar problems and more experience

16. Practical implementation issues (2) 5. Design your monitoring network carefully taking into account your objectives 6. Issue of correction factors using different monitoring equipments 7. When drawing up your action plans, take your stakeholders on board at het right moment (i.e. when you have a first draft of the main lines of the plan) 8.Create sufficient support for your actions at all necessary levels (governments, other departments, local authorities, industry, public,…)

17. Any questions? Dienst Lucht en Klimaat, Graaf de Ferrarisgebouw, Koning Albert II-laan 20, 7th floor 1000 Brussel, Belgium. Tel (secr). 0032 2 553 11 20 www.lne.belucht@milieuinfo.be