The impact of European legislative and technology measures to reduce air pollutants on air quality, human health and climate

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15544883
AutoresSteven T Turnock (0000-0002-0036-4627, University of Leeds, autor de correspondencia), Edward Butt (0000-0002-6087-4848, University of Leeds), E W Butt, T Richardson (0000-0002-7251-0865, University of Leeds), T B Richardson, G W Mann (0000-0003-1746-2837, National Centre for Atmospheric Science), Carly Reddington (0000-0002-5990-4966, University of Leeds), C L Reddington, Piers Forster (0000-0002-6078-0171, University of Leeds), P M Forster, Jim Haywood (0000-0002-2143-6634, Met Office), Monica Crippa (0000-0001-5946-3139, Joint Research Centre), Greet Janssens‐Maenhout (0000-0002-9335-0709, Joint Research Centre), G Janssens-Maenhout, Chris E Johnson (0000-0001-9079-813X, Met Office), Nicolas Bellouin (0000-0003-2109-9559, University of Reading), K S Carslaw (0000-0002-6800-154X, University of Leeds), Dominick V Spracklen (0000-0002-7551-4597, University of Leeds)
Año2016
Volumen11
Número2
Páginas024010-024010
Fecha de publicación2016-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEnvironmental Research Letters (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326
EditorialIOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1088/1748-9326/11/2/024010
OpenAlexW2259600652
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas45

European air quality legislation has reduced emissions of air pollutants across Europe since the 1970s, affecting air quality, human health and regional climate. We used a coupled composition-climate model to simulate the impacts of European air quality legislation and technology measures implemented between 1970 and 2010. We contrast simulations using two emission scenarios; one with actual emissions in 2010 and the other with emissions that would have occurred in 2010 in the absence of technological improvements and end-of-pipe treatment measures in the energy, industrial and road transport sectors. European emissions of sulphur dioxide, black carbon (BC) and organic carbon in 2010 are 53%, 59% and 32% lower respectively compared to emissions that would have occurred in 2010 in the absence of legislative and technology measures. These emission reductions decreased simulated European annual mean concentrations of fine particulate matter(PM2.5) by 35%, sulphate by 44%, BC by 56% and particulate organic matter by 23%. The reduction in PM2.5 concentrations is calculated to have prevented 80 000 (37 000–116 000, at 95% confidence intervals) premature deaths annually across the European Union, resulting in a perceived financial benefit to society of US$232 billion annually (1.4% of 2010 EU GDP). The reduction in aerosol concentrations due to legislative and technology measures caused a positive change in the aerosol radiative effect at the top of atmosphere, reduced atmospheric absorption and also increased the amount of solar radiation incident at the surface over Europe. We used an energy budget approximation to estimate that these changes in the radiative balance have increased European annual mean surface temperatures and precipitation by 0.45 ± 0.11 °C and by 13 ± 0.8 mm yr−1 respectively. Our results show that the implementation of European legislation and technological improvements to reduce the emission of air pollutants has improved air quality and human health over Europe, as well as having an unintended impact on the regional radiative balance and climate

Aerosol · Air pollution · Air quality index · Atmospheric sciences · Business · Climate change · Environmental protection · European union · Geography · Meteorology · Particulates · Pollutant · Air Quality and Health Impacts · Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Vehicle emissions and performance