Specific
measures to tackle climate change, such
as emissions trading, will only be successful
if they are coherently integrated with other
government policies addressing economic
and social issues, says a report published
today by the Partnership for European Environmental
Research (PEER). PEER membership is formed
from seven of the biggest European environmental
research institutes.
The report explains
that, in order to create an effective, Europe
wide climate policy, climate change issues
must be better integrated into both general
and sector-specific policies such as taxation,
transportation, and land use planning. Significant
changes in production processes as well
as consumption patterns will also be required.
Lead author, Dr. Per
Mickwitz, from the Finnish Environment Institute
(SYKE), said, “Although the inclusion of
climate change mitigation and adaptation
in general governmental programmes and strategies
has substantially increased in recent years,
much more is needed in terms of integrating
climate issues into specific policy measures.
Annual budgets, environmental impact assessments
and spatial planning procedures are three
examples of existing measures which we believe
have significant potential to be climate
policy instruments.”
Assessment
The new report assesses the degree of climate
policy integration in six different European
countries, at national and local levels,
as well as within key policy sectors such
as energy and transport. It analyses measures
and means to enhance climate policy integration
and improve policy coherence.
The report shows that
when climate policy is integrated into an
increasing number of policy sectors such
as energy, transport and land use, many
latent conflicts are reopened. These include
conflicts over nuclear power, taxation,
hydro power, mobility and other issues involving
values and ideology. If such conflicts are
not recognised early they provide a barrier
to effective climate policy integration.
Professor Pat Nuttall,
Director, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology,
UK, said, “As PEER chair, I know how important
it is to work together within Europe to
ensure that future decisions will be based
on the best information available, minimizing
risks and, in some cases, turning threats
into opportunities. There is a huge need
for increased policy and programme evaluation
from a climate change perspective, and this
report is a first step towards achieving
this goal.”
Over recent decades,
climate change research has focused primarily
on the climate system impacts in general
terms, and on mitigation. In the future,
new challenges will be posed by the emergence
of climate change adaptation policies across
Europe . Climate policy integration and
coherence will be essential in order to
bring together the environmental, economic
and social impacts of both adaptation and
mitigation policies.
Facts about PEER
Created in 2001, PEER is a partnership of
seven large European environmental research
centres. PEER members cover the full spectrum
of the environmental sciences and combine
basic with applied research anticipating
societal needs. PEER members carry out their
research in strategic and interdisciplinary
multi-annual programmes, working with partners
worldwide to solve complex environmental
challenges. The vision of PEER is to be
a world leader in integrating knowledge
and expertise for sustainable development,
in support of policymakers, industry and
society.
PEER member institutes
Alterra, Wageningen University and Research
Centre, The Netherlands
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology , United
Kingdom
Cemagref - Centre for Agricultural and Environmental
Engineering Research , France
JRC - Joint Research Centre, Institute for
Environment and Sustainability, European
Commission
NERI - National Environmental Research Institute,
Aarhus University, Denmark
Finnish Environment Institute, Finland
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
– UFZ, Germany
Climate Policy Integration,
Coherence and Governance. PEER-Report No
2. Helsinki: Partnership for European Environmental
Research. Mickwitz, P., Aix, F., Beck, S.,
Carss, D., Ferrand N., Görg, C., Jensen,
A., Kivimaa, P., Kuhlicke C., Kuindersma,
W., Máñez, M., Melanen, M.,
Monni, S., Pedersen, A. B., Reinert, H.
& van Bommel, S. 2009. 92pp.
+ More
Development of a GIS-based
road network and traffic data base
This report describes
the development and content of a Danish
national GIS-based road network and traffic
data base for 1960-2005.
The National Environmental
Research Institute (NERI), Aarhus University,
has developed the road network and traffic
data base over a period of years to be able
to calculate air quality levels at any address
in Denmark for any period during 1960-2005.
The AirGIS system calculates traffic-related
air quality levels and human exposure at
address level for any user-specified time
period (http://airgis.dmu.dk). The AirGIS
system encompasses air quality models, GIS
maps with roads and traffic data, building
footprints with buildings heights, and address
locations, as well as, data on vehicle emissions
factors, meteorology and regional background
concentrations.
The exposure assessment
is used in epidemiological studies that
examine the relation between exposure to
air pollution and health effects. The road
network and traffic data base has been applied
in a number of air pollution epidemiological
studies and research centres. These are
the CEMIK study (2001-2008) about exposure
to air pollution and risk for lung cancer,
the TRIP centre (2000-2004) - Centre for
Transport Research on Environmental and
Health Impacts and Policy) ((www.akf.dk/trip),
the RAV study (2002-2007) about risk for
development of asthma among adults, and
AIRPOLIFE (2004-2008). AIRPOLIFE is a Centre
of Excellence devoted to the study and prevention
of health effects of air pollution (www.airpolife.dk).
A historic and up-to-date
national GIS-based road and traffic data
base would have many benefits to society.
It is not only a valuable information source
for air quality assessment but also for
assessment of traffic noise, and other environmental
impact assessments related to traffic. It
would also provide benefits for traffic
analyses in road and traffic management.
It has become clear
during the development of the GIS-based
road and traffic data base that there is
a need in Denmark for development of a uniform,
standardised and geographic correct GIS-based
data base with relevant road and traffic
information for all roads in Denmark that
is continuously updated in a committed co-operation
between the state and the municipalities.
