Problem
Long-range transboundary air pollution
Other Names:
Export of air pollutionDistant air pollution effects
Reduction of air quality in adjoining states
Nature:
Measures taken by many industrialized countries in the 1970s to control urban and industrial air pollution (i.e. high chimney stacks) quite unintentionally sent increasing amounts of pollution across national boundaries in industrialized countries. During transport in the atmosphere, emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides and volatile hydrocarbons are transformed into sulphuric and nitric acids, ammonium salts and ozone. They fall to the ground, sometimes hundreds of thousands of kilometres from their origins, as dry particles or in rain, snow, frost, fog, and dew.
Incidence:
The UK is the biggest source of lead pollution in the North Sea and of pollution causing acid rain in Norway. 93% of sulphur deposited in Austria (mostly as acid rain) has its origin outside the country, principally arising from the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic and former East Germany.
Broader Problems:
Air pollutionTrans-boundary pollutionAerosols as industrial hazards Narrower Problems:
Acidic precipitationArctic air pollutionAir pollution from forest firesIncrease in atmospheric concentration of methane Related Problems:
Chemical trespass Aggravates:
Conflicting claims to non-terrestrial territory Strategies:
Strengthening regional cooperation on transboundary air pollution controlApplying polluter-pays principleIntegrating transboundary air pollution monitoring with environmental monitoringAgreeing standard procedures for monitoring transboundary air pollutionDeveloping technologies to control transboundary air pollutionExchanging meteorological information on transboundary air pollutionMapping pollutant pathways for transboundary air pollutionAgreeing timeframes for measurement of transboundary air pollutionMonitoring environmental effects of transboundary air pollutionDeveloping government/industry covenants to control transboundary air pollutionMediating transboundary air pollution disputesDeveloping environmental education on transboundary air pollutionEstablishing scientific dose/effect relationship for transboundary air pollutionIntegrating national and international monitoring programmes for transboundary air pollutionMonitoring ambient concentrations of transboundary air pollutionMonitoring effects of air pollution on human healthDeveloping national emission level standards for new mobile source air pollutionDeveloping national policy to control transboundary air pollutionPromoting research and development in transboundary air pollution controlDeveloping national strategies to control transboundary air pollutionDeveloping national emission level standardsControlling emissions of volatile organic compoundsPromoting traffic management schemes to reduce transboundary air pollutionDeveloping government/industry voluntary agreements to control transboundary air pollutionMonitoring effects of transboundary air pollution in waterEmploying critical load assessment for transboundary air pollutionExchanging information on control technologies for transboundary air pollutionMonitoring effects of transboundary air pollution in soilDeveloping transmission models for transboundary air pollutionLabelling products that cause transboundary air pollutionResearching effects of air pollution on human healthProviding impact information for transboundary air pollutionReducing national annual emissions of nitrogen oxidesResearching environmental effects of transboundary air pollutionDeveloping national emission level standards for mobile source air pollutionProviding information about national strategies to control transboundary air pollutionAgreeing size of grid-units for measuring transboundary air pollutionAssessing alternative measures for controlling transboundary air pollutionExchanging physico-chemical information relating to transboundary air pollutionMonitoring emission rates of transboundary air pollutionMonitoring effects of transboundary pollution in vegetationFormulating future control strategies for transboundary air pollutionExchanging information to control transboundary air pollutionAgreeing size of flux-units for measuring transboundary air pollutionAgreeing standards for information exchange on transboundary air pollutionExchanging information on transmission processes leading to transboundary air pollutionExchanging biological information relating to transboundary air pollutionEstablishing monitoring stations for transboundary air pollutionInforming about industrial development decisions affecting transboundary air pollutionExchanging information on costs of control technologies for transboundary air pollutionInvolving local communities in pollution controlControlling transboundary air pollutionMonitoring air qualityMonitoring distant air pollution References:
United Nations: Air Pollution Across BoundariesUnited Nations: Effects and Control of Transboundary Air Pollution Subject(s):
Commerce → Import, exportGovernment → Frontiers
Government → Nation state
Meteorology → Meteorology
Research, Standards → Quality unification
Societal Problems → Pollution
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
D: Detailed problems Date of last update
04.10.2020 – 22:48 CEST