International
The United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
(CLRTAP) is one of the primary drivers for policy measures in
relation to air pollution control. Since its signing in 1979 and
its entry into force in 1983, the Convention has substantially
contributed to the development of air pollution control legislation
internationally and across the EU. The Convention has been extended
by eight protocols which form the basis of much of the legislation
now developed by the EU and transposed into Member State
legislation. The protocols cover such areas as control of VOC
emissions, reduction of sulphur emissions, control of oxides of
nitrogen and abatement of acidification, eutrophication and
ground-level ozone.
The new
Directive 2008/50/EC 
of
the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on
ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (Ambient Air Quality
Directive) entered into force on 11 June 2008. The Ambient Air
Quality Directive stresses the importance to combat emissions of
pollutants at source and to identify and implement emission
reduction measures at local, national and EU level. The Directive
pays special attention to particulate matter and ground-level ozone
pollution because of their potential for human health impacts (but
also seeks to control other emissions and protect the wider
environment).
The new provisions seek to achieve a general
reduction of concentrations of fine particulate matter, known as
PM2.5, in the urban background in order to ensure that
large sections of the population benefit from improved air quality.
The Directive is part of the thematic strategy on air pollution
which aims at reducing the number of premature deaths from air
pollution-related diseases by 40% by 2020 from the 2000 level, as
well as reducing damage to forests and ecosystems from airborne
pollutants.
These pages describe the on-going development
of the international ambient air quality measures.