strategy
Enforcing air quality controls
Synonyms:
Managing air pollutionOverseeing air quality
Controlling air emissions
Fixing atmospheric emission standards
Description:
Action to improve air quality, and in this way to improve people's health, starts by recognizing the pollutants and pollution sources that contribute most to population exposure. The foundation for improving public health here is laid by risk assessment of air pollution and by legislation based on relevant scientific information. Internationally, there is substantial cooperation on activities related to ambient air quality, and several important agreements are gradually being implemented.
Context:
The Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (1979) defines "air pollution" to mean, the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the air resulting in deleterious effects of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources and ecosystems and material property and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment, and "air pollutants" shall be construed accordingly.
Narrower:
Deacidifying flue gasesReducing transport emissionsReducing sulphur dioxide emissionsUsing catalytic converters on carsReducing nitrogen oxides emissions Constrained by:
Using plasticsUsing plastics Facilitates:
Purifying airReducing industrial pollutionSetting energy efficiency goalsReducing greenhouse gas emissionsReducing incidence of unpleasant smellsReducing pollution from energy generationDeveloping sustainable transport systems in citiesDeveloping national policy to control transboundary air pollutionIntroducing pollution-based tax system Facilitated by:
Monitoring air qualityReducing motor vehicle emissionsApplying environmental chemistryEmpowering pollution control agenciesCreating environmental health standardsUndertaking research on indoor air pollutionDeveloping national emission level standardsMonitoring enforcement measures of national environmental action plansDeveloping pollution control technologies Problems:
Domestic emissionsFailure to apply polluter pays principle
Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide
Industrial air emissions
Lead as an environmental pollutant
Malodorous fumes
Emissions from combustion engines
Reluctance to impose pollution taxes
References:
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe: Strategies and Policies for Air Pollution Abatement: 1994 major reviewKlaassen, Ger and Førsund, Finn R: Economic Instruments for Air Pollution Control Subjects:
Meteorology → Meteorology Transportation, Telecommunications → Aviation
Societal Problems → Pollution
Societal Problems → Effluent
Research, Standards → Quality unification
Research, Standards → Standards
Law → Law enforcement
Management → Management
Cybernetics → Control
Type Classification:
E: Emanations of other strategies Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
