Published: Mar 19, 2012
- Ground level ozone causes health problems,
decreases crop yields and damages the environment.
Ozone levels exceeding certain targets in
Europe were less frequent in summer 2011
than in any year since monitoring started
in 1997. However, the long-term objective
was exceeded in all EU Member States and
it is likely many of them will not meet
the target value, applicable as of 2010.
In summer 2011, exceedances
of ozone targets were lower than average.
But it is still one of the most serious
air pollutants in Europe. Air pollution
affects people’s quality of life.
"In summer 2011,
exceedances of ozone targets were lower
than average," EEA Executive Director
Jacqueline McGlade said. "But it is
still one of the most serious air pollutants
in Europe. Air pollution affects people’s
quality of life."
Ozone can cause respiratory problems and
other severe health problems.
Ground level ozone production depends on
weather conditions such as solar intensity
and temperature, and is a result of chemical
reactions between other pollutants in the
air. These include nitrogen oxides, carbon
monoxide, methane and non-methane volatile
organic compounds. These substances are
emitted by industry, transport, agriculture
and other sources.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) publishes
an annual report on summer ozone levels.
The 2012 report, covering April to September
2011, was based on data from 2 186 monitoring
sites across Europe.
Main findings of the report
In the summer of 2011, the ‘information
threshold’ and the ‘long term objective’
(LTO) for the protection of human health
were both exceeded in the lowest proportion
of air monitoring stations since the start
of comprehensive Europe-wide data reporting
in 1997. This reduction was mainly due to
unusually low temperatures and increased
rainfall during the summer months, although
there have also been some reductions in
the emissions of ozone-precursor pollutants.
The information threshold (a one-hour ozone
concentration of 180 µg/m3) was exceeded
at monitoring sites in 16 EU Member States
and four non-member countries. The information
threshold was exceeded at approximately
18 % of all operational stations. Only northern
Italy and several more isolated locations
reported a substantial number of exceedances.
As in previous years, the LTO for the protection
of human health (maximum daily eight-hour
mean concentration of 120 µg/m3) was
exceeded in all EU Member States. These
exceedances were registered at approximately
84 % of all operational stations. This limit
was exceeded on more than 25 days in a significant
part of Europe.
The alert threshold (a one-hour average
ozone concentration of 240 µg/m3)
was exceeded 41 times. Concentrations of
300 µg/m3 or more were measured three
times in 2011, in Bulgaria, Italy and Spain.
+ More
Unsustainable consumption
– the mother of all environmental issues?
Published: Mar 15, 2012
- Consumption of products and services impacts
the environment in many different ways.
For example, the things we buy contribute,
directly or indirectly through the product
lifecycle, to climate change, pollution,
biodiversity loss and resource depletion
in Europe and other regions of the world.
Continuing with current
consumption patterns in Europe is not an
option. As both population and purchasing
power swell worldwide, resources will be
ever more overused and constrained. Europe
must take the lead in exploring a new model
of consumption which does not compromise
the needs of others or of future generations,
nor damage the environment.
Another kind of consumption
is possible, however. This is the subject
of Sustainable consumption in a time of
crisis, a meeting hosted on 15 March by
the European Environment Agency (EEA); and
organised by the European Economic and Social
Committee (EESC) and the Danish Consumer
Council. The event marks International Consumer
Day.
“Continuing with current consumption patterns
in Europe is not an option,” EEA Executive
Director Jacqueline McGlade said. “As both
population and purchasing power swell worldwide,
resources will be ever more overused and
constrained. Europe must take the lead in
exploring a new model of consumption which
does not compromise the needs of others
or of future generations, nor damage the
environment.”
The meeting will look at ways the economy
can be adjusted to drive sustainable forms
of consumption. It will consider how the
recession in Europe creates opportunities
and constraints for policy makers hoping
to boost the ‘green economy’. The meeting
is particularly timely, as green economy
is one of the priority discussion points
of the landmark sustainable development
summit in Rio de Janeiro in June this year.
