EUROAQ
European Urban
Air Quality Management System
Keywords:Good Practice, urban air quality
management, public awarenessEuropean Urban Air Quality Management System
Application site: Sheffield, UK; Lisbon, P; Helsinki, SU; Bratislava,SL; Delft, NL; Bologna, I
E-mail: G.McGrogan@hc001.sheffield-city. gov.uk
Context
The passing of Directive 96/62/EC, known as the Air
Quality Framework Directive, has allowed a change
in approach in managing air quality (European Air
Quality Management Project,1998). For this project
the most relevant section of the Directive refers to
placing mandatory requirements on governments of
member states to:
- Measure air quality by reference to the limit values laid down in the daughter directives
- Draw up plans to address breaches of air quality standards in the short and long term Inform the public about any alert threshold breaches
- Whilst it is almost impossible to separate out air quality monitoring from air quality management, it was felt by the Project funding body and authors, that the mainly technical aspects of monitoring have been widely covered, and that more emphasis was needed on undertaking local action and co-operation to incorporate sustainability and Local Agenda 21 into air quality management. The result of which would enable positive air quality changes to take place in a localised area, where all sections of the community would be involved and benefit
- Rather than "reinventing the wheel" many areas of good practice in relation to air quality management and information already exist and this should be built upon and disseminated across member states. The European Urban Air Quality Management project was designed to enable member states, by sharing good practice, to address the requirements of recently developed national and European legislation around air quality measurement.
The focus of the project is towards local ambient air quality, rather than global air pollution issues, such as carbon dioxide emissions or stratospheric ozone depleting substances. The specific objectives are:
- The Framework Directive on Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management, and the daughter directives on Air Quality Standards and Targets, provide an overarching strategy for urban air quality management within Europe
- This project develops and publishes models of good practice for air quality management for adoption by Member States and Municipalities
- The project develops instruments for adoption by Members and Municipalities that will ensure the delivery of the sustainable atmosphere envisaged by the regulatory structure
- Regional Seminars have taken place to an agreed format to include the characteristics of the region, the importance of the project to the region, the outcomes, and what was the political context of the conference.
The results of the series of conferences have been described according to the following topics:
National Strategies for Air Quality
Management National legislation to minimise emissions has been
further supported by European Directives. These
have been gradually added to by European measures
aimed at improving air quality, not purely focusing
on emission sources.
Despite many countries having national strategies, there are key areas in some regions in which, either through a lack of political will, or difficulties in implementation, influence and action by local authorities is limited.
The role of local authorities in air quality management is now of key importance. They play a crucial role in controlling emissions from a wide range of industrial and commercial sectors. The next major role for local authorities is in addressing emissions from road traffic.
All of the partner regions felt that local action in the form of co-operation between all the actors involved (local authorities, industry, commerce, public transport providers and the public) was the most effective way of tackling urban air quality problems, and that national governments must recognise this when drawing up national air quality strategies.
Long Term Local Air Quality Action Plans
Local authorities must have knowledge of the state
of air quality in their area. Data collected together
with any air quality simulation modelling can be
used to design urban air quality management plans.
Local air quality management is now being widely
accepted as the appropriate response to protecting
urban air quality.
Road traffic emissions are the single most important, and complex, issue for air quality management systems to overcome. Methods used to reduce the impact on air quality from vehicle exhausts range from exhaust emission checks, educating bus drivers about driving techniques, to reorganising public transport networks and construction changes to the highway.
A major factor, which can help overcome the problems of urban transportation, is public transport. A long-term commitment to public transport, with proper investment, will probably be a defining statement for cities in the future. An important concept that came out from all the conferences is the long-term use of development land in urban areas. Development plans should be build with a clear agenda – that of reducing the need to travel. However, infrastructures, particularly transport systems, should be placed or designed alongside new developments.
Flow of information on air quality management between cities and countries is necessary, so that a unified approach to meeting the needs of the Air Quality Framework Directive can be achieve d . Examples have outlined the need for co-ordination and co-operation between agencies, having responsibility for air quality, and also internal communication and co-operation within agencies. Local Short Term Air Quality Action Plans Without the full knowledge of the degree and extent of the air quality problem in a particular area, short term or indeed medium and long term action planning is impossible .
Good channels of communication are required. Co-operative projects will be required to engage business and public communities in the planning and implementation of medium and long term actions to reduce short term air quality problems. The identification of the resources required both to engage in a community dialogue and to deliver any short-term action will be crucial.
The design of a short term action plan should have embedded within it, goals which the Municipality knows can be achieved quickly and readily, which can then be used as an example of an early success. Realistic aims are essential.
Public Information Systems
Air quality information is monitored by many
organisations and is issued in several different
formats.
An effective air quality information system should
include: the need for national or regional uniformity
of air pollution/quality descriptors; careful choice of
target audience, and therefore content of message;
establishing reliable media outlets for information;
assessing the need for worded descriptors or air
pollution indices; ascertaining the need for
additional health information, and crucially, how
speedily this information can be issued.
Small local authorities should realise that they may not be able to meet the demands of accurate and fast information dissemination, and should consider whether the provision of national air quality information would be more appropriate.
Air quality information should be used to instigate awareness and education campaigns, and can be a major factor in changing perceptions about air quality and the role of all those involved in air quality management – including the public. It is important to ensure that the right message is delivered and to maintain public and official confidence.
Awareness Raising – Participation and
Collaboration in Local Air Quality
Management
The supplying of air quality measurement results to
the public is no longer sufficient or acceptable.
Public information is also a core task.
Those air quality management systems, which
recognise the importance of public involvement, will
be more likely to succeed. Those local authorities
who are embarking on air quality management plans
which have little or no public involvement element
contained in them should reconsider how to
address the public.
Local authorities should consider some basic steps before entering into a public involvement exercise. These steps should include: deciding who is the target audience; working with communities for participation – as opposed to consultation; allocating correct time and resources to any awareness raising/public involvement pro j e c t ; choosing the appropriate link person/organisation to communicate and liase with any interested parties.
Transferability
The experience presented the EUROAQ report
was aimed at the transfer of good practice. It was
recognised that this may not always be possible due
to the differing national regimes and legislative
frameworks, however with the implementation of
the Air Quality Framework Directive and Daughter
Directives an coherent EU framework for common
practice will emerge. One of the key strengths of
the project report was the degree to which the
project report presented the arguments and
thinking behind the development of local strategies
within the various national frameworks. It is this
philosophy which is truly transferable. With the
increasing inclusion of Eurocities (the sponsoring
organisation) as the voice of local municipal air
quality management in Europe the findings of the
project will gain increasing credibility.
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The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
