Enrico Pisoni Scientific/Technical Project Officer & Elisabetta Vignati Head of Unit

1. Capacity building by the European Commission to support air quality policies implementation in the European Union Enrico Pisoni Scientific/Technical Project Officer & ElisabettaVignati Head of Unit Air and Climate Unit Institute for Environment and Sustainability Joint Research Centre, European Commission 22-23 October 2013, Beijing ASEM seminar on capacity building on air pollution prevention and control

2. What is the Joint Research Centre (JRC) • JRC is the European Commission’s in-house science service. It provides the science for policy decisions, with a view to ensuring that the EU achieves its Europe 2020 goals for a productive economy as well as a safe, secure and sustainable future. • The JRC plays a key role in the European Research Area and reinforces its multi-disciplinarity by networking extensively with leading scientific organizations in the Member States, Associated Countries and worldwide.

3. What is the Joint Research Centre (JRC) • Where you can find us • Corporate Services – Brussels • IRMM – Geel, Belgium • Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements • ITU – Karlsruhe, Germany and Ispra, Italy • Institute for Transuranium Elements • IE – Petten, The Netherlands and Ispra, Italy • Institute for Energy and Transport • IPSC – Ispra, Italy • Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen • IES– Ispra, Italy • Institute for Environment and Sustainability • IHCP – Ispra, Italy • Institute for Health and Consumer Protection • IPTS – Seville, Spain • Institute for Prospective Technological Studies • Established 1957 • 7 institutes in 5 countries: Italy, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain • 2,845 permanent and temporary staff in 2010 • 1,398 scientific publications in 2010 • 125 instances of support to the EU policy-maker annually • Budget: €356 million annually, plus €62 million earned income

4. The Air Quality situation improves… • Percentage of the EU urban population exposed to air pollution exceeding EU air quality standards (trend: 2002-2011) Source: EEA Air Quality report 2013

5. …but challenges remain. • Percentage of the EU urban population exposed to air pollution exceeding EU and WHO reference levels (2009-2011) Source: EEA Air Quality report 2013

6. The particulatematter situation Particulate matter (PM10) concentration Percentage of the EU’s urban population exposed to exceeding PM10 limits In red: above EU limit values EU air quality standards 21 % 81 % WHO air quality guidelines Source: EEA Air Quality report 2012/2013

7. Policies currently in place The International Air Quality Policy Framework The United Nation Economic Commission for Europe, Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution and its Protocols The knowledge base (with the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme – EMEP, etc… ) … The EU Air Quality Policy Framework. Limits/targets for concentrations of air pollutants (Air Quality Directive)  Air Quality Management Plans Limits on total pollutant emissions (National Emission Ceiling Directive…) Regulation of emissions from specific sources or sectors (Industrial Emission Directive, Euro standard Directives, …) …

8. Review of the EU Air Quality Policy EU long-term objective: “to achieve levels of air quality that do not have significant negative impacts on human health and environment” What has been done: Extensive evaluation of current policy and detailed examination of future emission projections and their impact on health and environment, up to 2030 How it has been done: Scientific developments have been incorporated, public consultation has been performed, impact assessment has been implemented

9. The projection for the future Particulate Matter compliance issue (still exceedances of threshold) at 2010 and 2025. Source: IIASA, 2013

10. The compliance issue European Environmental Agency Air Pilot Implementation project • Almost three quarters of Europeans live in cities • There are still 'gaps' in implementation of air quality policy • Study on 12 European cities…but general conclusions Some of the lessons learnt: • Difficulties in estimating effect and cost/benefit of measures • Challenges in implementation: • Governance issue, how competences are split between different levels (state/region/municipality). • Lack of management and assessment capacity • Air quality ranking in political agenda. • Public acceptance Source: EEA Air Implementation Pilot report, 2013

11. Capacity building for compliance (1/3) Joint Research Centre role: • providing knowledge/tools for air quality compliance, as modeling tools, indicators, approaches, to support the Air Quality Management plans preparation • sharing these knowledge/tools with Decision Makers, networking, facilitating the exchange of best practices Member States/Regional authorities role: • Implementing “on the ground”

12. Capacity building for compliance (2/3) We are finalizing tools for answering questions such as: • Which is the maximum effect on air quality at regional/urban scale, given a defined area on which to apply policies? • What is the optimal spatial scale on which local/regional decisions should be taken, to lead significant impacts? • Which is the optimal set of abatement measures to be applied at regional/local scale, given a budget? • Which is the trade-off among costs and air quality improvement? • Is it useful to use non-technical measures (low emission zones, promotion of cycling, etc…)

13. Capacity building for compliance (3/3) Role of JRC reinforcement legislation Air Quality regional/local approach CLE: Current Legislation Cost

14. Conclusions • A lot has been done, but still challenges to be tackled • Exceedances of ozone, particulate matter … • Compliance problem • Role of Joint Research Centre and capacity building • Provide tools to support decision making at regional scale • Networking/harmonization activities

15. More Information Thank you • http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/review_air_policy.htm • enrico.pisoni@jrc.ec.europa.eu • elisabetta.vignati@jrc.ec.europa.eu (Head of Unit)