ICP Modelling and Mapping
International Cooperative Programme on Modelling
and Mapping of
Critical Loads and Levels and Air Pollution Effects,
Risks and Trends
Chair:
Mr. T. Spranger
Head of Coordination
Centre for Effects: Mr. J.-P. Hettelingh
Interest in the critical
loads and levels approach for pollution control
has gathered momentum over the past decade, and
has been successfully applied to strategies for
emission reductions under the 1994 Protocol on Further
Reduction of Sulphur Emissions and the 1999 Protocol
to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level
Ozone.
The objectives of the ICP Modelling
and Mapping are to:
(a) assess damage to forests,
crops, natural vegetation, soils, surface and
groundwaters, and materials by determining critical
levels and loads for the response of these systems,
with particular attention to the direct effects
of air concentrations of sulphur dioxides (SO2), nitrogen dioxides (NO2) and ozone (O3), and the indirect effects of (long-term)
deposition of sulphur and nitrogen compounds;
(b) map geographical areas to
determine the scope and extent of pollutant depositions and
concentrations which exceed critical loads and levels;
(c) establish appropriate methods
as a basis for assessing potential damage.
A programme Task Force led by Germany
is responsible for the detailed planning and coordination
of the Programme, in collaboration with the Coordination
Centre for Effects (CCE) at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP).
CCE supports the programme by providing scientific
and technical assistance for the Task Force and
the Working Group on Effects. It also provides assistance
to national focal centres (NFC) in participating
countries, helping them to develop methods and data
for calculating and mapping critical loads, critical
levels and exceedances as a basis for developing
potential abatement strategies for sulphur, nitrogen
and other relevant pollutants.
While CCE is charged with compiling
European critical loads/levels maps and databases,
NFCs are responsible for producing the national
data on critical loads/levels and maps for inclusion
in the European maps. At present 25 countries have
contributed national data. CCE uses various European
databases on soil, land, climatic and other variables
to calculate critical loads for countries that are
unable to provide national data. It maintains a
database of critical loads data, which is used for
integrated assessment modelling by the Task
Force on Integrated Assessment Modelling and
its Centre
[for Integrated Assessment Modelling] .
A newly revised Mapping
manual (Manual on methodologies and criteria for modelling and mapping critical loads and levels and
air pollution effects, risks and trends), incorporating the results of years of
methodological development and refinement, was published
in 2004. The Mapping manual details the methods for calculating
and mapping critical levels and loads that have
been agreed at workshops organized under the auspices
of the Executive Body for the Convention and Task
Force meetings. The Mapping manual covers the following
main items:
(a) guidance for the generation
of maps of deposition loads and exposure levels;
(b) recommendations for mapping
critical levels for direct effects of air pollutants
on forests, crops and natural vegetation;
(c) examples of methods for calculating
and mapping critical loads of acidity for terrestrial
ecosystems, surface and groundwaters;
(d) procedures for mapping "acceptable
exposure values" of pollutants for buildings
and materials;
(e) evaluation of the present
state of knowledge on the determination and mapping
of critical loads for nutrient nitrogen.
Further information is available
from the Task
Force lead country and from the Coordination
Centre for Effects.