Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Transcription

1 UNECE region countries highlighted in yellow. Reducing International Air Pollution under the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution EPA perspective on 38 years of collaboration with Canada, Europe, The Russian Federation and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia for the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP).

2 Air pollution does not recognize international boundaries. The environmental and public health challenges created by the flow of air pollution across political borders spurred the need for regional solutions to this problem. In 1979, 32 nations signed the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), bringing together countries in this region to coordinate efforts on research, monitoring, and the development of emissions reduction strategies to address regional air pollution and its effects. This scientific, technical, and policy work has become a model to other regions of the world facing similar regional air pollution issues. 1 Initially aimed at reducing the effects of acid rain through control of the emissions of sulfur, its scope later widened to include nitrogen pollutants, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, ozone and most recently, particulate matter. 2 To date, CLR- TAP has been extended by eight protocols containing legally binding targets for emission reductions thru the application of emission limit values and the use of best available techniques. 3 U.S. Participation in CLRTAP The United States has been a key contributor and participant in CLRTAP since its inception, mainly by sharing technical and policy expertise on air quality management and by actively participating in both the policy-making and decision-making bodies of the Convention. The United States has benefited greatly from this participation. Addressing and reducing transboundary air pollution is critical to achieving U.S. air quality management goals. Through active participation in international treaties such as CLRTAP, the United States can continue collaborating effectively with our partners in the UNECE region to assess and eventually quantify the levels of transboundary air pollution affecting our domestic air quality. For example, CLRTAP s strong science and modelling of transboundary air pollution have shown how other countries impact North America s environment, particularly in vulnerable Arctic and sub-arctic areas. In addition to meeting our commitments under CLRTAP, the United States and Canada cooperate on transboundary air pollution under the 1991 Canada U.S. Air Quality Agreement and the Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy. 4 Ensuring reductions of these transboundary air emissions leads to improvements in public health and the environment. Progress and Trends As shown in Figure 1, significant progress has been made in reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter in the UNECE region. Most progress has been made in reducing sulfur dioxide emissions, which has resulted in reduced acidification. Some forest and lakes across the region are showing signs of recovery. By applying measures such as flue gas desulfurization and low-sulfur fuels, countries in Europe have achieved a total reduction in sulfur emissions of approximately 80 percent since Abatement measures for nitrogen oxides, which include flue gas cleaning and catalytic converters in vehicles have also roughly halved emissions over this period. Particulate matter concentrations at European monitoring sites declined by around one third between 2000 and In addition, the number of days on which ozone concentrations in Europe exceed the World Health Organization guideline level is now about 20 percent lower than in In the United States, annual emissions estimates are used as one indicator of the effectiveness of air quality management programs. Between 1980 and 2016, total emissions of the six principal air pollutants declined by 67 percent. These reductions have taken place while gross domestic product increased 158 percent, vehicle miles traveled increased 111 percent, energy consumption increased 25 percent, and U.S. population grew by 42 percent. New Amendments In 2012, Parties negotiated amendments to the 1998 Protocol on Heavy Metals and the 1999 Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol). The United States was the first to accept the amendments to the Protocol on Heavy Metals in 2015, and accepted the Gothenburg Protocol amendments in early These amendments have not yet entered into force, as 17 ratifications of the amended protocols from the original signatory Parties are required (to date there are 9 ratifications). When the United States takes steps to accept amendments, this encourages other countries to work toward the same goal. We are hopeful that both protocols will enter into force in Facilitating Emission Reductions in the EECAA Region The amendments to both protocols included revisions to the emission reduction obligations and provided implementation flexibility in order to encourage and facilitate ratification by countries in the Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia (EECAA) region. Furthermore, a very important feature of the work in CLRTAP is assisting countries in the EECCA region. Capacity-building programs funded through CLRTAP, as well as from other countries in the UNECE, are important for improvements in EECCA country technical programs. Developing emissions inventories and building general air quality management infrastructure can spur ratification and implementation of CLRTAP s protocols. In addition, this encourages the application of best available technologies on emissions sources across the region and levels the regulatory playing field for industry.

3 Reducing Air!!!!!! Pollution Replace under me with CLRTAP the correct by Paul header Almodóvar information and!!!!!! Kimber Scavo Figure 1. Decline in emissions over recent decades for a range of pollutants. Source: Towards Cleaner Air, Scientific Assessment Report 2016: Summary for Policymaker. Scientific Assessment In 2016, the scientific and technical community within CLR- TAP published an assessment report that presented the current scientific knowledge on transboundary air pollution issues within the UNECE region. The report described the effectiveness of air pollution measures in addressing largescale effects on forests and lakes, as well as in protecting human health and preventing other air pollution effects, such

4 as loss in biodiversity and damage to crops, the built environment, and cultural heritage. 5 The report also identified the challenges still remaining on improving air quality within CLR- TAP s boundaries. These challenges range from continuing to make progress on reducing ozone and particulate matter to acknowledging the need to more formally address nitrogen pollution, air pollution impacts on biodiversity, emissions from agriculture, and the linkages between air quality and climate change. The Future In response to the assessment report, a group of experts was established to provide a policy response to the findings in that assessment and make recommendations on whether and how CLRTAP should take action over the short and long term. The group, chaired by a U.S. expert, finalized their report 6 and recommendations in spring Continuing with the multipollutant theme of the Gothenburg protocol, one key recommendation from the group is to continue to move CLRTAP forward with an integrated approach to addressing air pollution policy for the energy, transport, and agriculture sectors. As CLRTAP moves forward to address the policy recommendations in response to the 2016 scientific assessment report, we believe that continued regional progress on reducing particulate matter and ozone should be a primary goal of CLR- TAP in the next several years, with an emphasis on encouraging ratification and implementation of the Gothenburg protocol, particularly in the EECAA region. In addition, transboundary air pollution is an increasingly global problem. Emissions in other parts of the northern hemisphere contribute substantially to ozone concentrations in Europe and North America. 4 An additional challenge to those noted above is how CLRTAP can effectively work together with UNEP and other international organizations with common goals on approaches to address global ozone, as well as how to coordinate effectively on other air pollution and related environmental issues of concern. The regional agreements developed within CLRTAP are a model for global agreements under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The strong scientific and technical work of CLRTAP and its Protocols on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Heavy Metals provided the framework for developing both the global Stockholm Convention (2001) and Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013). While there is still useful technical work to accomplish under CLRTAP and share with other international organizations for heavy metals and POPs, we believe that addressing the remaining challenges from these pollutants is more effectively done and with greater potential for emission reductions through the global multilateral environmental agreements under UNEP. However, this additional work under CLRTAP may be needed in the future where it can add value to the activities under either the Stockholm or Minamata Conventions. Power Plant Pollutant and Effluent Control MEGA Symposium: Best Practices and Future Trends August 20-23, 2018 Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, Baltimore, MD The MEGA Symposium is back in 2018 and better than ever with a focus on industry responses to new operational and environmental challenges for power plants, as well as policy and regulatory perspectives. Building on the 20-year history as the power plant industry s leading technical conference for SOx, NOx, particulate and mercury control, the 2018 MEGA Symposium will provide latest developments, policy changes, and operational experience to reliably manage compliance with air quality, solid waste, and discharge water quality requirements for fossil-fired power plants. Call for Abstracts due March 9, 2018 Share your knowledge and be a presenter! The technical program will emphasize approaches and technologies to support cycling operations while balancing emission constraints at the stack and effluent discharges, and byproduct quality. Topics include: Air Pollution for Coal-Fired and Gas-Fired Generation Effluent and Byproduct Management Managing Variable Load Carbon Management and CO2 Control for Fossil Plants Exhibit or Sponsor at MEGA to get your company in front of key industry decision-makers. Premium and standard double and single booths available Networking and receptions in exhibit hall Technical registrations included with exhibits and sponsors Multiple sponsor levels to meet your budget Maximum sponsor exposure online and on site with exclusive options available View the prospectus online and contact Jschurman@awma.org. The MEGA Symposium is brought to you through the efforts of four key industry players: the Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA), Institute of Clean Air Companies (ICAC), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and US Department of Energy (DOE). Find out more at and make your plans to be there!

5 The United States has been a key contributor and participant in CLRTAP since its inception, mainly by sharing technical and policy expertise on air quality management. Notwithstanding progress in air quality improvement in the United States, there is more work to be done. In 2016, an estimated 123 million people nationwide lived in counties with pollution levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency s (EPA) primary national ambient quality standards. 7 Furthermore, EPA scientists estimate that exposure to recent air pollution contributed to 1 of every 20 deaths in the United States and that reducing exposures to fine particulate matter and ozone nationwide by 33 percent would avoid approximately 43,000 premature deaths, tens of thousands of non-fatal heart attacks and respiratory and cardiovascular hospitalizations, and hundreds of thousands of acute respiratory symptoms. The economic value of premature deaths, heart attacks, hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and missed school work exceeds US$1 trillion every year. 4 Negotiating agreements with the countries in the UNECE region has a large and ongoing benefit to the United States. Collectively, we have made progress over the years in reducing emissions in key pollutants that affect public health and the environment. While problems still exist, there are tangible improvements in levels of smog, acid rain and other harmful pollutants, such as mercury. The United States will continue to collaborate with our UNECE colleagues to make sure that the reductions and commitments in CLRTAP s protocols are achieved and continue to lead to integrated solutions to regional and hemispheric air pollution challenges and to real public health and environmental improvements. em Paul Almodóvar and Kimber Scavo are both with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). References 1. Clark, J.; Harnett, W.; Scavo, K. Perspective of the United States on Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone; Pollut. Atmos. 1999, December, ECE-Clearing the Air-30th Anniversary Brochure. See envlrtapwelcome/publications.html. 3. See 4. Towards Cleaner Air. Scientific Assessment Report 2016: North America, 5. Mass, R.; Greenfelt, P. (Eds.) 2016 Towards Cleaner Air. Scientific Assessment Report 2016; EMEP Steering Body and Working Group on Effects of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, Oslo, +50 pp. 6. See _E ece_eb_air_wg_5_2017_3.pdf. 7. See