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Regional issues, local impacts

Regional issues, local impacts. ESA/GMES-GATO Atmospheric Chemistry Applications Workshop Frank McGovern and Brendan Kelly Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland. Introduction. Apologies Policy support Access Advantages/Disadvantages 2 nd Day. Scope & Content. EPA Ireland

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Regional issues, local impacts

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  1. Regional issues, local impacts ESA/GMES-GATO Atmospheric Chemistry Applications Workshop Frank McGovern and Brendan Kelly Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  2. Introduction • Apologies • Policy support • Access • Advantages/Disadvantages 2nd Day ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  3. Scope & Content • EPA Ireland • Current monitoring/reporting • Air quality issues in Ireland • New developments and efficiencies • Real time air quality data provision • Future products from remote sensing and models ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  4. Environmental Protection Agency • Statutory Role (Environmental protection, licensing, enforcement, monitoring, reporting wrt protocols, policy advice, etc) • Actions Protocol/Policy Driven! (Kjetil Torseth – legislation and conventions important…Frank Raes – general focus on actions required under protocols or policy!) • Distribution of environmental research funding in Ireland (ERTDI programme) • National Environmental Research Centre of Excellence • ICED FIRE: Integrated Climate changE Database for IREland (…Brief digression!) ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  5. ICED FIRE • A system to • Store the large amount of data relevant to climate change in Ireland • Access and retrieve datasets, efficiently, easily • Analyse data and produce models of climate change issues • Disseminate climate change information to various categories of end-user: EPA, DOE&LG, Irish and International Research Community, Public ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  6. ICED FIRE • Quality assured data and targeted scientific analysis to inform both National policy and International negotiations on climate change issues • Analysis of areas relevant to Kyoto commitments (approaching 2nd commitment period) • Promote understanding of climate change issues • Provide clear rationale for potentially difficult and expensive strategies to mitigate climate change ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  7. ICED FIRE Benefits of Integration • Data available at “one-stop-shop” • Synergy from different datasets being co-located • Standardised formats and QA/QC • Customised “products” available for different end-users • Increased communication & co-ordination • Data gathering needs clearer • Paul Monk’s DÉJÀ VU??? (GMES-satellites) ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  8. Environmental Protection Agency • Actions Protocol/Policy Driven! • (Kjetil Torseth – legislation and conventions important…Frank Raes – general focus on actions required under protocols or policy!) • UNFCCC/Kyoto • CLRTAP • Air Quality Framework Directive (improve where poor, maintain where good) ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  9. Framework Directive on air quality: Zones • Four national air quality zones based on: population, area, current air quality (SO2, PM10, O3, NOx, Pb, CO, Benzene) • Designated zones: • Greater Dublin area • Cork City • Smaller urban areas (non-contiguous) – mobiles • Rest of the country • Annual report to EC (McGovern and McGettigan, 2001), immediate report of certain exceedances, reports on trends e.g. Ozone…AOT40 ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  10. Existing monitoring sites Good location – Background North Atlantic, but influenced by mainland Europe, US etc *Mace Head – GAW Background site, (AEROCE, GAGE, AGAGE, etc, GHGs, CFCs, inverse modelling-Simonds, Ciais et al.) *Valentia – Irish Met Service (GAW regional site, Long time series, Radiation, UV, ozonesondes, pheno gardens) ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  11. Air Quality Issues Dominance of mid-latitude North Atlantic westerly air flows means that air quality in Ireland is generally good …but there are some problems: • Background levels of pollutants are low (except Ozone) • Spring/Summer peaks close to or above eco-system protection threshold, most exceedances occur on the west coast (depressed by NOx?) • Traffic emissions are high in congested city locations • Heating can be a significant sources for PM in certain areas (ban on coal in Dublin improved situation, but other areas still use “smoky” fuels) • Easterly conditions bring high levels of pollutants to Ireland from other European areas. • These are considered to contribute to exceedances of PM limit values ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  12. Integration of data and analysis of issues ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  13. Regional/Local? ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  14. Transboundary Pollution (CLTAP) • EMEP-related monitoring • Four sites: Valentia, Torlough hill, Ridge of Cappard, Burren: Measured rainfall chemistry (full suite of ions), air (total sulfate, SO2) • New EMEP strategy 2003EB.AIR/GE.1/2002/9 includes provision of data at key sites on: • PM10, PM2.5 mass • Full ion composition • Particulate carbon/light scattering • Size distribution • Pollutant gases – designated “supersites” ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  15. New sites and transboundary pollution project Objectives • Meet current monitoring requirements • Link to air quality measurements- targets • Better geographical spread • New sites on east coast, north of country, midland • Keep + enhance key sites e.g. GAW sites • Mace Head background sites, NUIG International Research Facility • Valentia Observatory Regional site, Met Eireann, long-term site ecosystem analysis • Link to research (Very active GHG flux studies programme - South east, Oak park central, Peatland site beside Valentia, Johnstown Castle, WX) • Inland pollutant impacts studies • Keep in touch with future regional developments in Europe and North Atlantic, EC projects • Provide policy relevant analyses in relation to Gothenburg Protocol and Emissions Ceilings Directive. economic analysis, costs of abatement strategies. ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  16. New sites Development of Carnsore site also seen as of interest for studies of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances, e.g. application and validation of inverse modelling techniques such as those applied to Mace Head data. ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  17. Real time air quality reporting Ozone, SO2, NO2, PM10 ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  18. Real time air quality reporting PM10 ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  19. Real time air quality reporting Gases (O3, SO2, N2O) ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  20. Future and useful products • Further integrate data from EMEP and air quality sites • New EMEP regime calls for enhanced measurements of PM10, 2.5, as well as ion composition, etc • Link other available data e.g. remote sensing and modelling • Analysis of exceedances and methods for avoidances of these • Analysis of policy effectiveness (e.g. as Nat. Emissions Ceilings directive is implemented throughout Europe – does this improve situation in Ireland? • Forecasting, issuing warnings to population e.g. high PM10 • Pollutant distribution maps (Ozone, PM10, PM2.5, SO2 (not a major problem), NO2 (problem in cities…) • Deposition maps link to GIS showing sensitive areas • Analyses of scope and range of events (Regional events?) • Participation in PROMOTE (Albert Goede, ESA/GMES Ser.Ele) • Strengthen data links with other EAs, INSPIRE, etc. ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  21. Last thoughts… • Ireland – good location for atmospheric chemistry research, monitoring • Good potential for contributing to “ground-truthing” • Need to enhance analysis, mapping and modelling capability • Regional-scale satellite-derived products clearly of importance • Interested in what types of data on what pollutants can reliably be provided and at what concentration level, temporal and spatial resolution? ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

  22. Thank you. ERTDI Programme 2000 - 2006

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