Executive Summary
There is an increasing awareness in both the science and policy communities of the importance of addressing the linkages between the traditional air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Many of the traditional air pollutants and greenhouse gases have common sources, their emissions interact in the atmosphere, and separately or jointly they cause a variety of environmental impacts on the local, regional and global scales. Linkages work in two directions: there can be synergies and negative trade-off s. Thus, emission control strategies that simultaneously address air pollutants and greenhouse gases may lead to a more effi cient use of the resources on all scales.
This report explores the linkages between air quality and climate change from a European perspective in order to assist the European Environment Agency (EEA) in approaching the issues of air quality and climate change in an integrated way. This report addresses atmospheric linkages, linkages of impacts and possible synergies in emission reductions and emission control strategies. Furthermore, it assesses the relevance and significance of linkages for diff erent control options and defi nes priority issues for integrated assessment. Finally it proposes preliminary indicators that could be used by the EEA to approach and report on linkages between air quality and climate change in a structured manner.
Air pollution, climate change policies, Europe |
