Parliament Adopts Stricter Rules to Reduce Industrial Emissions and Improve Air Quality
Introduction
Parliament today adopted its position on a revised law to improve air quality in the EU in order to achieve a clean and healthy environment for European citizens.
Stricter Limits and Targets for Pollutants
363 MEPs voted in favor, 226 against, and 46 abstained on the vote which sets a stricter 2035 limit and target values for several pollutants including particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), SO2 (sulphur dioxide), and O3 (ozone). The new rules would ensure air quality in the EU is not harmful to human health, natural ecosystems, and biodiversity and would align EU rules with the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines. MEPs also stress that the air quality standards proposed by the Commission should be an intermediate objective to be reached as soon as possible, and by 2030 at the latest.
Increased Air Quality Sampling Points
- The text underlines the need to increase the number of air quality sampling points.
- In urban areas, there should be at least one monitoring supersite per two million inhabitants that represents the exposure of the general urban population (the Commission proposed one per 10 million).
- In locations where high ultrafine particles (UFP), black carbon, mercury, and ammonia (NH3) concentrations are likely to occur, there should be one sampling point per one million inhabitants, higher than the Commission’s originally proposed one per five million and then only for UFP.
Better Protection of Citizens
MEPs want to harmonize currently-fragmented and unintuitive air quality indices across the EU. Indices must be comparable, clear, and publicly available, with hourly updates so citizens can protect themselves during high levels of air pollution (and before obligatory alert thresholds are reached). They shall be accompanied by information about symptoms associated with air pollution peaks and the associated health risks for each pollutant, including information tailored to vulnerable groups. Parliament also wants citizens whose health is damaged to have a stronger right to compensation when the new rules are infringed.
Air Quality Plans and Roadmaps
MEPs propose that in addition to air quality plans, which are required when EU countries exceed limits, all member states would also have to create air quality roadmaps that set out short- and long-term measures in order to comply with the new limit values.
Quote
After the vote, rapporteur Javi López (S&D, ES) said: “Addressing air pollution in Europe demands immediate action. This slow-motion pandemic is taking a devastating toll on our society, leading to premature deaths and a multitude of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. We must follow the science, align our air quality standards with WHO guidelines, and boost some of the provisions in this directive. We need to be ambitious to safeguard the well-being of our citizens and create a cleaner and healthier environment.”
Next Steps
Parliament is now ready to start negotiations with Council on the final shape of the law.
Background
Air pollution continues to be the number one environmental cause of early death in the EU with around 300,000 premature deaths per year (check here to see how clean the air is in European cities), with the most harmful being PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and O3, according to the EEA. In October 2022, the Commission proposed a revision of the EU air quality rules with more ambitious targets for 2030 to achieve the zero pollution objective by 2050 in line with the Zero Pollution Action Plan. This legislation is responding to citizens’ expectations concerning pollution and “greener” cities with lower emissions as well as raising awareness by providing regularly updated pollution information, as expressed in proposals 2(2), 4(6), and 6(1) of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the need to improve air quality to achieve a clean and healthy environment for European citizens. This aligns with SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. It also relates to SDG 11, which focuses on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Additionally, the article mentions the need to align EU rules with the World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines, which supports SDG 13’s objective of taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Finally, the article highlights the importance of protecting natural ecosystems and biodiversity, which is a key aspect of SDG 15.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
- Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
- Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts.
The article emphasizes the need to improve air quality to reduce the number of deaths and illnesses caused by pollution, aligning with Target 3.9 under SDG 3. It also highlights the importance of addressing air quality in cities, which relates to Target 11.6 under SDG 11. Additionally, the article mentions the need to align EU rules with WHO guidelines, supporting the integration of climate change measures into national policies and planning (Target 13.2) and the integration of ecosystem and biodiversity values into planning processes (Target 15.9).
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of deaths and illnesses related to air pollution
- Adverse per capita environmental impact of cities
- Integration of climate change measures into national policies and planning
- Integration of ecosystem and biodiversity values into planning processes
The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, progress towards the identified targets can be measured using indicators such as the number of deaths and illnesses related to air pollution, which reflects progress towards Target 3.9. The adverse per capita environmental impact of cities can be measured by assessing air quality and waste management practices, contributing to Target 11.6. The integration of climate change measures into national policies and planning can be evaluated through indicators related to policy implementation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Finally, the integration of ecosystem and biodiversity values into planning processes can be measured by assessing the inclusion of biodiversity considerations in land-use planning and development decisions.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination. | Number of deaths and illnesses related to air pollution |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. | Adverse per capita environmental impact of cities |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Integration of climate change measures into national policies and planning |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts. | Integration of ecosystem and biodiversity values into planning processes |
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Source: europeansting.com
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