The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and Protocols

1. The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and Protocols Martin Williams Chairman of the Executive Body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap

2. More than 20 years of international cooperation to combat air pollution • The scientific basis dates back to the 1960s • First emphasis on acidification leading to the adoption of the Convention in 1979 • In 1980s ground-level ozone and eutrophication become a target of action • Since 1990s, health-impacts are of major concern: heavy metals, POPs, fine particles

3. CONVENTION ON LONG-RANGE TRANSBOUNDARY AIR POLLUTION 50 Parties in Europe, North America and Central Asia

4. The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and its Protocols (all in force)

5. 1st generation Protocols:The 1985 Sulphur Protocol • Reduce sulphur emissions by at least 30% below 1980 levels • 22 Parties • All in full compliance according to the Implementation Committee

6. 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 1st generation Protocols:The 1988 NOx Protocol • Stabilize NOx emissions at 1987 levels • Apply BAT to new stationary and mobile sources • 28 Parties • All, but 7, in compliance with emission control obligation

7. Reduce VOC emission by 30% with a base year between 1984 and 1990 – options for special cases Apply BAT to mobile and stationary sources Product measures 21 Parties All, but 7, in compliance with emission reduction obligation 1st generation Protocols:The 1991 VOC Protocol

8. The multi-effect Protocol: the impact of the emission ceilings

9. VERY LONG-RANGE TRANSPORT Intercontinental transport at northern mid-latitudes Free Troposphere Boundary Layer N. America Europe Asia L L L H H H 25

10. The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution - future action

11. Need for Global Cooperation on Air Pollution Control and Prevention • Health and environmental costs of air pollution are staggering • Great deal of activity underway around the world; mostly uncoordinated • Budgets are limited and need to avoid duplication of effort • Science showing pollution to be regional, hemispheric and even global in nature

12. Need for Global Cooperation on Air Pollution Control and Prevention • Critical need to develop and harmonize high quality air pollution data bases across the various regions • Growing consensus on need for coordinated assessment and pollution control strategies at the hemispheric scale • A comprehensive global atmospheric pollution convention is one possible outcome to address hemispheric and global pollution issues • Until then, there are opportunities to build on the efforts of existing regional initiatives, networks, and institutions

13. The Global Atmospheric Pollution Forum • Interim Management Committee Comprised of: • -- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) • -- UN Economic Commission for Europe/ Convention on • Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (UNECE/LRTAP) • -- Clean Air Initiative (CAI) • -- Air Pollution Information Network for Africa (APINA) • -- The Inter-American Network for Atmospheric/Biospheric Studies (IANABIS) • -- International Union of Air Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection Associations (IUAPPA) • -- Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) • Secretariat provided by IUAPPA and SEI

14. Role of the Global Atmospheric Pollution Forum • Support efforts of regional networks to tackle air pollution at the regional, hemispheric and global scales; and support development of new networks, where needed • Promote sharing of experiences, collaboration and capacity building between regional networks • Promote discussion on more effective frameworks to address regional, hemispheric or global air pollution