Each country has developed a national strategy for the control of air pollution, but the approaches used vary from one country to another. Therefore, an exchange of the experiences and lessons learned is beneficial to all participating parties. Moreover, lessons learned can also be used by other countries from Central and East Europe (CEE) and the Newly Independent States (NIS) in developing their own strategies for air pollution control.
This Report is divided into seven sections. Section 1 presents the background of the SILAQ project. Section 2 focuses on the rationale for reducing SO2 and particulate matter pollution, including a discussion of the health impacts of the surveyed pollutants and an overview of ambient air quality in the SILAQ countries.
Existing levels of SO2 and particulate emissions in the SILAQ countries as well as major pollution sources are discussed in Section 3.
Section 4 provides an overview of the regulatory framework regarding SO2 and particulate emission control. This includes a more general discussion of the institutional framework, existing environmental legislation and monitoring networks, while specific standards regarding ambient air quality, source specific emission standards, and fuel quality are presented in more detail.
Section 5 reviews the various technical and policy options available for the reduction of emissions, including technological measures, policy options, and the use of economic instruments. Details of the current strategies adopted by the SILAQ countries are included.
Section 6 discusses the main driving forces behind the implementation strategies adopted, including harmonization with EU legislation and compliance with international agreements, as well as other related factors.
Section 7 concludes the report with an overview of the further work required and the key assistance needs, as well as a discussion of the importance in exchanging experiences among the SILAQ countries.