Hemispheric transport – Why is EMEP interested?

Hemispheric transport – Why is EMEP interested?

Peringe Grennfelt, Jurgen Schneider

www.ivl.sePeringe Grennfelt 10 mars 2005

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Contents

• The role of EMEP within the CLRTAP

• Links to hemispheric scale

• Conclusions


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The CLRTAP

Protocols under the Convention

1983 EMEP Protocol (financing instrument) 1985 and 1994 Sulphur Protocols 1988 NOx Protocol 1991 VOC Protocol 1998 HM Protocol (Pb, Cd and Hg) 1998 POP Protocol 1999 MPME Protocol (SO2, NOx, NH3 and NMVOC)


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ROLE OF EMEP

Role of EMEP is to provide Parties to the Convention with information on

emissions,

deposition and

concentrations of air pollutants, with

quantified source attribution of the concentrations, depositions and

transboundary fluxes related to acidification, eutrophication, photo-oxidants, particulate matter, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants.


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Effect based approach

This knowledge is in particular needed to support the development of Protocols of the second generation:

Science based approach (use quantitative scientific knowledge to reduce emissions in a cost effective way)

Not a universal percentage reduction or uniform absolute environmental target (e.g., AQ standard), but rather emission reduction requirements that reduce environmental and health impact costs effectively

High demands on data and process understanding!


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Institutional settings

4 Centres: MSC-E, MSC-W, CIAM and CCC

Strong involvement of national experts from parties and the scientific community is vital; this collaboration is usually facilitated by the Task Forces

– Emissions: TF EIP, produces EMEP/CORINAIR guidebook, promotes inventory improvement (by reviews,..)

– AQ data: TFMM, CCC: New Monitoring strategy, strong involvement of parties, EMEP manual,…

– Atmospheric modelling: TFMM, MSC-W and MSC-E– Integreted assessment models: TFIAM, CIAM– Hemispheric transport: TFHTAP, supported by all Centres


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Significance of a Hemspheric Transport initiative

Improve the understanding of chemical and physical processes in order to support the development of cost-effective abatement strategies.

-> There is a need to assess sources and receptors of air pollution at different scales, including the understanding of the significance of intercontinental transport processes.


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Pollutants subject to hemispcheric transport

The three most recent Protocols tackle problems which at least have a hemispheric component:

– POPs Protocol– Heavy metals Protocol: Hg– Gothenburg Protocol: Ozone


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POPs

Intercontinental transport of HCBEurope

Central Asia5%

South-eastern

Asia5%

America7%

Russia19%

Europe64%

Europe Arctic

Central Asia15%

South-eastern

Asia15%

America17%Russia

31%

Europe22%

Arctic

Origin of HCB depositionsSource: EMEP, MSC-E


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Mercury

Mercury, 2002

Transport outside Europe ~ 120 t/y (65 % of total emission)Source: EMEP, MSC-E

Deposition:

to Europe - 100 t/y

from European sources - 50 t/y

from global, natural, and re-emission sources - 50 t/y

Spatial distribution of Hg depositions in

Europe


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Ozone

Recent assessments have clearly indicated the increasing importance of hemispheric background of ozone

From Derwent et al


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Ozone

This is in particular relevant for the assessment of environmental and health effects (a recent review by the World Health Organization confirmed that ozone is a pollutant where thresholds for effects cannot be identified at this stage)

During the review of the EMEP unified Eulerian model, it was recommended that… further consideration should be given to … the continued increase in background ozone concentrations… (EB.AIR/GE.1/2004/6)


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Ozone

The Gothenburg Protocol from 1999 (which entered into force on May 17) itself requests in Article 8 on “Research, Development and Monitoring” that

Parties shall encourage research, development and monitoring and cooperation related to

…

(d) The improvement of scientific understanding of the long term fate of emissions and their impact on the hemispheric background concentrations of S, N, VOC, O3, PM, focusing, in particular, on the chemistry of the free troposphere and the potential for intercontinental transport flow of pollutants

…..


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Conlusions

Some of the pollutants tackled within the Convention have a hemispheric component

EMEP is requested to investigate the significance of this transport (in a scientific/technical sense)

Therefore, the work of this TF is of crucial relevance for EMEP

According to the well established working mode of EMEP, this investigation is to be done in an open, transparent way in close collaboration with the scientific community

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Hemispheric transport – Why is EMEP interested?