Geneva, 13 August 1999
TACKLING
OZONE POLLUTION
As Europe and North America
swelter in the summer heat, ozone is once again hitting the
headlines. Like many other air pollutants, ozone - O3 - moves freely around the globe. "That’s why
it’s so important that the United Nations should step in
to encourage countries to tackle this transboundary problem
together," according to Lars Nordberg, Deputy
Director of the Environment and Human Settlements Division of
the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE).
Responsive to the changing
environmental problems and priorities, the Executive Body for
the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution is
now reaching the final stages of the negotiations of an
innovative protocol. It will lay down obligations to reduce
emissions of pollutants that cause high concentrations of
ground-level ozone, acid rain, and over-nourishment of
rivers, lakes and coastal areas (a problem known as
‘eutrophication’).
Negotiators will meet in
Geneva from 26 August to 3 September to hammer out the
crucial clauses of that new protocol. It will be a
multi-effect, multi-pollutant agreement that will target
emissions of sulphur, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and volatile
organic compounds all at the same time. Its ultimate aim will
be to reduce these emissions to their critical loads and
levels, i.e. loads and levels that are thought not to cause
any lasting damage.
Although the final, basic
obligations of the protocol remain to be agreed, the
negotiators are working with a guiding scenario that foresees
that health-related excess ozone exposure should be reduced
by two thirds by the year 2010 and vegetation-related
exposure by one third. The deterioration of certain materials
due to ozone will also be reduced. There will most likely be
additional targets for ‘hot spots’.
This is a tall order. Yet,
no one doubts that the long-term benefits will outweigh the
short-term cost. Many sectors of our economy - fossil-fuelled
power generation, industry, agriculture and, not least,
transport - will have to make an effort to cut their
emissions so that the targets can be met.
"The new protocol will
not provide total protection for the environment and human
health. It is nevertheless expected to go a long way towards
improving the current situation," points out Lars
Nordberg. Since the ultimate objective is to cut emissions of
air pollutants so that they will not cause any harm, the
protocol will contain a revision clause. Such a clause opens
up the prospect of further negotiations, when the Parties are
ready to accept more stringent obligations.
The new protocol will be put
before environment ministers in Gothenburg (Sweden) during a
week-long meeting in early December to mark the 20th anniversary of the Convention.
Protecting our environment
and our health has always been the driving force behind the
negotiation of new protocols to the 1979 Convention on
Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Over the past 15
years, seven specific Protocols have been adopted to force
Governments to make sweeping cuts in air pollution. As a
result, emissions of sulphur and other pollutants have
decreased in Europe and their pressure on our environment and
our health has eased. UN/ECE estimates that sulphur emissions
have halved since 1980, NOx emissions are down 16%
on their 1990 levels, VOC emissions are 20% lower than
in 1990, and ammonia emissions have dropped 18% since 1990.
Undoubtedly the new protocol
will make a huge contribution to the celebration of 20 years
of successful international lawmaking to protect the
environment and our health.
For more
information, please contact:
Lars
NORDBERG, Deputy Director
UN/ECE Environment and Human Settlements Division
Palais des Nations, office 346
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: (+41 22) 917 23 54
Fax: (+41 22) 907 01 07
E-mail: [email protected]