News

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Legislation

REACH deal heralds chemicals revolution

Governments and the European Parliament have reached final agreement on the EU’s chemical policy reform, known as REACH. The measure was the subject of intensive last minute negotiations designed to avoid a so-called ‘conciliation procedure’, a step that would have added political uncertainty and delayed the regulation by many months. The legislation is expected to enter into force around April this year.

One of the main sticking points had been substitution rules for the most dangerous substances. All firms using substances of ‘very high concern’—carcinogens, mutagens, reprotoxins, endocrine disrupters and persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals—will now have to draw up substitution plans for switching to safer alternatives. Regulators will use these plans to decide how long the more dangerous chemicals should continue to be authorised for use. If no safer alternatives are available firms will have to draw up research and development plans to find them. Substitution plans will be required immediately even for high-concern chemicals whose risks can be ‘adequately controlled’ through exposure management measures.

Chemicals produced in volumes below 10 tonnes remain exempt from REACH’s most onerous provisions, but their status will be reviewed after seven years. Data confidentiality rules have been tightened slightly, with firms being allowed to keep commercially-sensitive data confidential for 12 years. The first significant deadline under REACH—for registering substances manufactured in volumes above 1000 tonnes—has been pushed forward by six months, giving firms three and a half years to complete registration.

MEP Guido Sacconi, who brokered the deal on behalf of the parliament, said it gave Europe “the most ambitious chemical legislation in the world”. Anti-vivisection group BUAV welcomed the accord, saying it would “vastly reduce the scale of suffering in the longer term” despite an initial increase in animal testing. However, environmental and consumer groups criticised it for failing to prevent dangerous chemicals being used in consumer goods. BEUC, the European Consumers’ Organisation, said the parliament’s negotiators had given away too much on substitution arrangements.

As JEM went to press the deal was due to negotiate its final procedural hurdles, culminating in formal acceptance by EU environment ministers at their meeting on 18th December.

European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/default_en.htm; European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/reach_intro.htm; BEUC: www.beuc.org; BUAV: www.buav.org.

Global climate talks edge forward

Steady progress rather than a major breakthrough was the general view on the outcome of the latest round of international climate change talks, which were held in Nairobi, Kenya, in November. The meeting agreed a timetable to begin discussions for a post-2012 successor to the Kyoto Protocol, scheduled a review of the protocol for 2008, and adopted several initiatives to help combat climate change in developing countries.

Delegates were meeting in the wake of the Stern Report on the economics of climate change, which estimated that mitigating emissions will cost a “manageable” 1% of global GDP [JEM, 2006, 8, 1185]. The report aroused fierce criticism from some economists and climate sceptics, but in an article in the Financial Times Sir Nicholas strongly defended his approach.

At Nairobi, countries with Kyoto targets agreed to start detailed work spelling out the steps necessary towards post-2012 commitments. By February each must submit data that will be used to derive these targets, although there was no consensus on a deadline for deciding future caps. Industrialised and developing countries continued their dialogue on long-term climate policy, focusing on the economic challenges of, and market solutions to, climate change. Debate on a possible mechanism allowing developing countries to adopt voluntary Kyoto targets was put off until May.

Pre-conference negotiations had stressed the need for greater emphasis on adaptation and technology transfer [JEM, 2006, 8, 1099]. Delegates agreed to set up a five year programme of measures to help developing countries adapt to the effects of climate change, as well as an adaptation fund that could eventually total €300 m. A separate fund will finance adaptation, technology transfer and emission mitigation efforts in developing countries.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced the ‘Nairobi framework’, a coalition of six UN agencies that will work to give African countries better access to the clean development mechanism (CDM) for financing climate change projects. There was also agreement to make the CDM process more transparent. A consultation on carbon capture and storage will lead to a decision in 2008 on whether to include the technology in the CDM.

In a separate move, parties to the London Convention on dumping of waste at sea have approved sub-seabed storage of carbon dioxide. The rule change will take effect from February. Proponents of the technology, including the EU’s Carbon Capture Task Force, have identified legislative barriers as a key obstacle to the technology [JEM, 2006, 8, 1099]. Several international bodies and the European Commission are currently drafting rules to give it a more stable regulatory basis.

UNFCCC: http://unfccc.int; Earth Network Bulletin: www.iisd.ca/climate/cop12/enbots/; World Business Council for Sustainable Development: www.wbcsd.org; Financial Times: www.ft.com; International Maritime Organisation: www.imo.org

Europe goes for Euro 6 limits

The European Commission has endorsed extra EU curbs on nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emissions from diesel vehicles.

The commission had initially rejected calls for strict NO_x standards for diesel vehicles when it proposed the Euro 5 vehicle emission standards in late 2005 [JEM, 2006, 8 243]. However, it was forced to act when it became clear that a majority of EU governments and the European Parliament were preparing to introduce them anyway [JEM, 2006, 8, 1100].

Last autumn it unveiled a revised impact assessment for a Euro 6 limit of 80 mg km⁻¹ for NO_x from diesel cars by 2014. These now form the basis for an official policy proposal. The assessment concluded that the Euro 6 standard would deliver an additional 24% reduction in NO_x emissions in 2020 compared with Euro 5, at an additional cost of €213 per vehicle. It would also increase health benefits by 60–90% relative to Euro 5.

Elsewhere, motor industry body ACEA is calling on the EU to place greater emphasis on demand-side measures, such as harmonised carbon dioxide-based taxation, to cut CO₂ from cars rather than relying on technology changes from manufacturers. CO₂ reductions achieved so far under a voluntary agreement have come entirely through “technological advances, without the backing of clear customer demand”, ACEA claims. Consumers have simply not bought some very CO₂-efficient models placed on the market. It wants to see a more “integrated approach” with CO₂ being the main basis for taxation of cars and alternative fuels across the EU.

European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/pollutant_emission/index.htm; ACEA: www.acea.be

Marine strategy all adrift

A European strategy to safeguard the marine environment has been severely criticised by the European Parliament. In a series of resolutions and amendments, MEPs voted to strengthen a proposed marine framework directive and derided the commission for the lack of ambition in its marine strategy.

First published over a year ago [JEM, 2005, 7, 1130], the strategy and related directive aims to unify and update a multitude of legislation relating to the marine environment. In a key amendment, the parliament says all European seas should reach “good environmental status” by 2017, rather than the commission’s proposal of 2021. MEPs argue this will bring the law into line with the existing EU water framework directive, but it could create conflict with national governments.

Echoing calls by ministers, the parliament added a definition of good environmental status, an issue the commission had left open. In other changes, MEPs want to introduce regional sub-strategies requiring greater cross-border cooperation among EU states. Fast-track pilot projects for threatened areas such as the Baltic Sea are also proposed, as well as extending the Natura 2000 protected areas network to the marine environment.

In the UK, meanwhile, experts have warned that climate change is having a major impact on the marine ecosystem. A government advisory group says rising sea surface temperature is creating a significant influx of warm-water plankton and fish species into British seas. It assesses impacts in a range of areas including ocean acidification and salinity, and makes predictions of future impacts.

European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu; UK Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership: www.mccip.org.uk

EPA enforcement achieves record reductions

EPA enforcement has achieved record cuts in pollution totalling more than 1.4 million tonnes over the last three years. During this period companies have been required to invest almost $20 billion in pollution control equipment, mainly in high priority areas of air and water pollution. The figures are contained in the agency’s latest annual reports on its compliance and performance goals.

The reports show EPA obtained commitments from industry, governments and other regulated entities to reduce pollution by nearly 400k tonnes in fiscal year 2006. Criminal enforcement actions completed during the year will result in defendants serving 154 years in jail and paying almost $43 million in fines, as well as another $29 million for environmental projects imposed as part of the sentences. A further 173 cases were resolved in the civil courts and over 4600 settlements were made before going to court under final administrative penalty orders.

The top enforcement priorities were harmful air emissions, non-compliance at petroleum refineries and water pollution. These will result in reductions in harmful air emissions totalling 172k tonnes of sulfur dioxide and 42k tonnes of nitrogen oxides annually. When fully implemented, the annual human health benefits from these air emission reductions are valued at $3.5 billion.

Response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita proved a major strain on the agency’s resources over the last 12 months [JEM, 2005, 7, 938; 2006, 8, 591 & 991]. It produced more than 400 000 analyses of water, air, floodwater, and residual sediment samples, assessed more than 1600 chemical facilities and refineries, and handled the disposal of more than 4 million containers of household hazardous waste.

The reports also include the latest data on Superfund enforcement actions (see separate item below).

EPA: www.epa.gov/compliance/data/results/annual/fy2006.html; www.epa.gov/ocfo/finstatement/2006par/index.htm

Environmental quality

Africa will bear the brunt of climate change

Africa is the continent that will suffer most from global warming. That is the stark message from a new UN report released to coincide with the latest round of climate change talks in Nairobi.

The continent’s vulnerability to climate change is even more acute than had previously been supposed, say the report’s authors. For example, around 30% of Africa’s coastal infrastructure could be at risk from inundation, including coastal settlements in the Gulf of Guinea, Senegal, the Gambia and Egypt. Between 25 & 40% of species’ habitats in Africa could be lost by 2085. Cereal crop yields will decline by up to 5% by the 2080s, with subsistence crops—like sorghum in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Zambia; maize in Ghana, millet in Sudan and groundnuts in the Gambia—also suffering climate-linked falls.

Part of Africa’s current and future adaptation needs must include improvements in climate and weather monitoring capabilities and better links between climate research and policy-making, says the report. Other needs include mainstreaming climate change considerations into development and sectoral plans and programmes, education and awareness-raising for governments, institutions and individuals, as well as better forecasting and early warning systems.

These findings are reiterated in peer-reviewed research which studies historical climate impacts in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya. A twenty year drought in the late 19th century led to epidemics of bovine pleuropneumonia, rinderpest and small pox, with devastating effects on the local population. “Severe disturbance events and rapid environmental change tend to occur infrequently, but can have a lasting effect on both environment and society,” said the study’s author Dr Lindsey Gillson.

UNFCCC: Report of the African Regional Workshop on Adaptation, http://unfccc.int/adaptation/adverse_effects_and_response_measures_art_48/items/3743.php; Journal of African Ecology, www.blackwellpublishing.com/ecology/news/news.asp?id=192

Industrial pollution on the rise?

Data reported under the European Pollution Emissions Register (EPER) appear to show that industrial pollution in Europe is rising. An initial analysis of data reported for 2001 and 2004 showed EU business was performing poorly in a number of areas. However EU officials cautioned that many of the apparent increases could be due largely to changes in reporting. The European Commission is due to issue a full analysis of the data in April.

EPER was launched in 2004 as a European counterpart to America’s long-established Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) [JEM, 2004, 6, 30N]. It is meant to increase transparency, making it easy to benchmark companies, industry sectors and countries and compare their performance over time. The initial dataset records emissions to air and water (both direct and via wastewater treatment plants) from some 9000 industrial installations in the EU-15 countries in 2001. EPER II, released late last year, reports on 2004 emissions from the same installations, plus another 3000 facilities in the EU’s ten new members [JEM, 2006, 8, 1101]. The huge volumes of data, difficulties in aggregation and changes in reporting procedures have made interpretation difficult, however.

Even so, a comparison suggests cause for concern in a number of areas. For facilities reporting in both years, total emissions to air of hydrogen cyanide rose by 79% and of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by 53%. The greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide were up by 9% and by 8.5%, respectively. Emissions to water were also up for cyanides (69%), phenols (35%) and mercury (52%).

The commission said once the final analysis was available it would be reviewing whether new or modified emission policy measures were necessary. The European Environment Agency also plans to use the analysis to inform best available technique (BAT) guidelines being developed under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) directive.

EPER: www.eper.ec.europa.eu; EEA: www.eea.europa.eu

Med clean-up strategy gets go-ahead

Environment ministers from the EU and ten neighbouring countries have endorsed Horizon 2020, an initiative to reduce pollution in the Mediterranean region. Proposed by the European Commission last September [JEM, 2006, 8, 1101], the strategy includes a timetable of actions during the EU’s next financial programming period, from 2007 and 2013. These include implementing a proposed EU marine strategy directive and compliance with various provisions in the 1976 Barcelona Convention on the Mediterranean marine environment.

The initiative was approved at an international meeting in Cairo in November.

European Commission: Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enlarg/med/index.htm

EPA reaches Superfund landmark

EPA has hailed as “a major milestone” the completion of works at the 1000th site to be restored under Superfund, the US federal government programme that cleans up abandoned hazardous waste sites.

Joining state and local government officials and industry representatives at the Macalloy Corporation Site in South Carolina, Susan Bodine, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response said: “Today, we celebrate Superfund’s progress and impacts on environmental practices, economic vitality, and the good that comes when communities are meaningfully involved in cleanup decisions.”

In 2006, parties held responsible for pollution invested $391 million to clean up 11.5 million cubic metres of contaminated soil and approximately 1.0 billion cubic metres of contaminated groundwater at waste sites. On top of paying penalties, regulated entities were also required to invest $4.9 billion to reduce pollution and achieve compliance with environmental laws.

Superfund was created in 1980 in response to an escalating problem in cleaning up contaminated sites from America’s industrial past. Today, construction is complete or in progress at 95% of all Superfund sites listed by the Agency. Around 550 sites have been or are about to be returned to communities for productive uses. Macalloy, a 150 acre site adjoining the Ashley River, is typical of Superfund’s contribution to environmental and economic revitalisation. One of the most high profile cases was Love Canal, a former hazardous waste site in up-state New York; the political controversy it sparked in the late 1970s laid the basis for the Superfund legislation. Restoration work was completed there in 2004 [JEM, 2004, 6, 134N].

EPA: www.epa.gov/superfund

Methane pays, says EPA

An international partnership to recover and use methane as a clean energy source is yielding significant economic and environmental benefits, according to an assessment by EPA.

In 2005, the US contributed more than $5 million to the Methane to Markets Partnership. That investment has leveraged over $235 million in public and private sector contributions for methane projects in the US and around the world. Projects are expected to result in annual greenhouse reductions of nearly 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, while providing enough electricity to power the equivalent of 800 000 US homes.

Examples of projects supported include: the world’s largest power generation project fuelled by coal mine methane in Jincheng, China; new compressor station technology in Ukraine in the oil and gas sector; landfill gas to energy projects in Latin America; and livestock waste management technologies in East Asia.

Launched by President Bush in November 2004 [JEM, 2005, 7, 18], Methane to Markets is a public–private partnership to advance methane recovery and use. More than 350 organisations from around the world have now signed up and the US has committed up to $53 million to the initiative over the next five years.

EPA: www.epa.gov/methanetomarkets/accompreport.htm

Chemical hazards

Experts consider POPs extension

Five more chemicals are to be considered for addition to a global list of 12 banned substances. Parties to the UN Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) took the decision to review the list at a meeting of experts held in November. The chemicals under review are pesticides alpha and beta-HCH, flame retardant octa-BDE, pentachlorobenzene and short-chained chlorinated paraffins. The committee also adopted risk profiles for five other chemicals, a further step towards their inclusion in the blacklist. Parties are expected to decide on this in 2009.

Meanwhile, EU ministers have been asked to rule on storage limits for POPs in waste after a committee of national experts failed to reach agreement. The limits concern the presence of 14 POPs in waste, above which contaminated wastes will have to be destroyed or, in certain cases, be put into permanent storage [JEM, 2006, 8, 871 & 987]. For most of these chemicals EU law currently defines lower thresholds of 50 mg kg⁻¹. The upper, or mandatory destruction, threshold proposed by the commission for these chemicals is 5000 mg kg⁻¹. For PCBs it has proposed a threshold of 50 mg kg⁻¹, and for dioxins it has proposed one of 5 mg kg⁻¹.

Earth Negotiation Bulletin: (for Stockholm Convention) www.iisd.ca; Council of Ministers: http://register.consilium.europa.eu (ref: COM (2006)252)

Mercury sets the temperature rising

Mercury was at the centre of two high profile rows in the EU recently.

The first was between the European Parliament and EU governments. In an unusual move, MEPs voted to reject a compromise deal with ministers on banning mercury in measuring devices [JEM, 2006, 8, 774]. The parliament refused to endorse a recommendation from its Environment Committee for a proposed ban on thermometers to apply to barometers as well. Opponents of the ban say it would actually increase the amount of mercury in household waste because there would be no producers left to repair broken instruments. Instead they want to set-up “effective mechanisms” to licence and control the placing of mercury barometers on the market.

Also linked to concerns about mercury emissions, the chlorine industry clashed with environmental groups after the latter claimed that EU companies could be emitting more than five times more mercury than officially estimated. Campaigners reiterated calls for use of mercury-based chlorine production to be phased out [JEM, 2005, 7, 185; 2006, 8, 333 & 427]. Trade body Eurochlor insisted its figures were accurate, pointing out that they are accepted by national authorities and the OSPAR marine protection convention secretariat.

The dispute forms part of a larger tussle over the eventual phase-out of mercury-based chlor-alkali plants: the industry has adopted a voluntary deadline of 2020, while green campaigners want it to be much earlier, in 2010.

European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu; EEB: www.eeb.org; Euro Chlor: www.eurochlor.org

Further cuts for methyl bromide

Governments have agreed further cuts in the consumption of the ozone-depleting pesticide methyl bromide. The deal came at an international meeting in New Delhi of parties to the Montreal Protocol on protection of the ozone layer.

Methyl bromide use in developed countries has been banned since 2005, but with exemptions for approved ‘critical uses’ [JEM, 2004, 6, 53N & 121N; 2005, 7, 848]. Worldwide, industrialised countries will be able to use up to about 9000 tonnes of methyl bromide in 2007. The single largest user by far is the USA, which agreed to cut consumption from 6749 tonnes in 2007 to 5355 tonnes in 2008. Several parties criticised US reluctance to cut consumption or production more rapidly, however. Much lower caps were also agreed for Australia, Japan and Canada. The EU has slashed its consumption cap from 2777 tonnes in 2005 to 690 tonnes in 2007.

On compliance, governments agreed that “weak enforcement of existing regulations” could undermine progress achieved in the ozone layer’s recovery.

UNEP: www.unep.org

Phase out for pesticide AZM

EPA has issued a final decision to phase out the 10 remaining uses of the organophosphate insecticide azinphos-methyl (AZM) over the next few years. The Agency says the phase-out will encourage and facilitate transition to safer alternatives and reduce risks to farm workers, pesticide applicators, and aquatic ecosystems. The ban will be phased in by September 2012 although many registrants have cancelled their uses voluntarily.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has launched a study on the EU’s existing biocide rules. Under the 1998 Biocides Directive all products not defended by manufacturers had to be removed from the market by 1st September last year. The study marks the first step towards an official review of the directive. It will also consider whether and how the directive should be amended.

EPA: www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/op/azm/phaseout_fs.htm; European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/biocides/study.htm

Public and occupational health

Committee outlines health-environment research priorities

SCHER, the EU’s scientific advisory committee on health and environmental risks, has issued an opinion on what it sees as the research priorities in environmental health. Top of its list is long-term exposure to ultra-fine particulate matter (PM2.5), as well as indoor air quality and nanoparticles. SCHER calls for an EU network to monitor human exposure to pollutants and for high priority to be given to ‘new’ chemical compounds, including degradation products of high production volume chemicals. The opinion relates to spending over the next seven years under the EU’s FP7 research programme.

Elsewhere, lobby group Women in Europe (WECF) has claimed that existing risk assessments based on conventional science, such as toxicology, “dramatically underestimate” the links between pollutants and diseases including cancers and asthma. Citing new discoveries presented by scientists at a WECF conference in Brussels, the group said risk assessments must be reformed to reflect “revolution in science”.

These latest calls reflect increasing attention to the links between the environment and health. In a speech in 2005 EEA chief Prof. Jacqueline McGlade cautioned that current approaches to analysing such connections were likely to be flawed and probably underestimated the role of environmental effects in diseases [JEM, 2005, 7, 1032]. Since then both the EU [JEM, 2006, 8, 991] and the US [JEM, 2006, 8, 337] have launched major programmes to probe the role of environmental factors in human diseases.

SCHER: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/04_scher_en.htm; WECF: www.wecf.org

Dioxin monitoring in food

Rules on monitoring by EU states of background levels of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in food have entered into force. Member states must sample high-risk foods, such as fish, until 31 December 2008 when the thresholds will be reviewed again. Legal limits on dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in food were passed last year [JEM, 2006, 8, 429].European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemicalsafety/contaminants/dioxins_en.htm

Regulators back GM potato

The first genetically modified potato variety could be introduced to the EU market after receiving clearance from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The European Commission must now decide whether to recommend market approval.

Developed by BASF, the potato has an altered starch makeup and is designed for use in the paper, textiles, cosmetics and adhesives industries. EFSA’s opinion assesses possible risks should tubers find their way into food or feed.

Meanwhile, the commission has published details of the testing regime required for imports of American long-grain rice. The measures were introduced after a non-authorised GM strain, LL601, was found in several European countries [JEM, 2006, 8, 1103].

EFSA: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/authorisation/public_comments_en.htm

Research activities

EU strikes deal on geo-data

The European Parliament and national governments have finalised an agreement to create an EU-wide infrastructure to share spatial data for use in policy-making. The initiative, known as INSPIRE, will cover a very wide range of spatial data ranging from basic mapping information, such as geographical names and administrative units, to key environmental information such as emissions, environmental quality and location of protected sites. At present, this type of data is not always available, nor is it always consistent enough for designing and implementing environmental policy.

The new directive sets obligations on what national public authorities do with the data they collect. It was first proposed by the commission in 2004 but provisions requiring a more open approach to the disclosure of public data proved contentious with some EU members. They now have two years to transpose it into national law.

European Commission: http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1612

Eco-industry shows strong performance

Europe’s environmental industry continues to perform well, according to a consultancy study released by the European Commission.

The European market for environmental goods and services was worth €227 bn in 2004, the study estimates, equivalent to 2.2% of the EU’s GDP. Altogether the EU’s eco-industries account for around 3.4m jobs. Traditional activities such as waste management continue to account for the vast majority of expenditure on resource and pollution management. This market is increasingly mature and is dominated by very large firms, the study says. More recent markets such as renewable energy and eco-construction are growing fast but remain fragmented.

Future environmental legislation and investments in new eastern European member states to comply with existing laws will be the main growth drivers for Europe’s eco-industry in the near-term. Strong demand is expected in areas such as soil remediation and cleaner technologies for waste incinerators.

Setting tighter environmental regulations would be the best way to support the industry, the study says. It also recommends better implementation of existing legislation. Other recommendations relate to focused actions to promote innovation among small businesses, including access to financial support such as grants and loans.

European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/industry_employment/ecoindustry2006.pdf

Boost for environmental project funding

Funding for environmental technology and innovation projects has received a boost with the launch of a major new EU initiative. The Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) puts a significant emphasis on efforts to protect the environment and achieve sustainable use of natural resources. It will disburse €3.6 billion between 2007 and 2013 to help bring innovative products to market.

Intelligent Energy for Europe, one of the main sub-programmes, is designed largely around environmental objectives. Its total budget of €727 m will be used to fund projects to improve energy efficiency and boost use of alternative fuels and renewable energy. The CIP’s innovation sub-programme also includes environmental objectives, with €430 m over the seven years devoted to ‘eco-innovation’ under the Environmental Technology Action Plan [JEM, 2006, 8, 246].

European Commission: DG Enterprise, http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/cip/index_en.htm

Monitoring must keep pace with fine particles

Fine particles, their properties and their concentrations has been the subject of growing attention in recent years because of the harmful effect they have on people’s health and environment, and the legislative measures that have been introduced in response to this. This emerging area offers new challenges for scientists as well as major opportunities for industry, according to a new report by Tekes, the Finnish Agency for Technology and Innovation.

Demands for lower particulate emissions call not only for technological advances to reduce emissions but also better technology for sampling, measuring and monitoring particulates. This covers both automotive emissions and sources that are unregulated as yet, such as small-scale combustion. Tekes’ FINE Programme, which ran from 2002 to 2006, made a valuable contribution to extending the knowledge and technological understanding of measuring fine particulates, and deepening networking between researchers and industry experts.

The work of 11 of FINE’s 50 projects focused on aerosol measurement. These advanced the understanding of aerosol measurement techniques and provided new information on the operation and requirements associated with various instruments and sampling systems. This is an important area in industry and progress in nanotechnology will increase the need for new aerosol instrumentation. As emission limits and ambient maximum concentration values become stricter, emissions monitoring will become both more important and more demanding. New methods and techniques will be essential to meet new regulations.

Indoor air quality was another of FINE’s focus areas. Here results of the studies show that particle concentrations in indoor air, in many cases, can be roughly estimated from the particle concentrations in outdoor air. The efficient filtration of supply air, in particular, reduces significantly the transport of particles from outside.

TEKES: www.tekes.fi/fine

Scientists urge global collaboration

Leading scientists have urged governments to take immediate, collaborative action to ensure sustainable development in the face of unprecedented global environmental change. The call came at the end of the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) Open Science Conference on Global Environmental Change, held in Beijing.

The scientists expressed their concern about the continuing adverse affects of human activities on the global environment and the resulting serious threats to human livelihood. “Science has placed the issue of climate change in front of global leaders,” said Dr Gordon McBean, conference co-chair and a professor at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. “The challenge for scientists now is to better inform governments on the actions they can be taking,” he said.

ESSP is launching two major new research initiatives to address these issues. The Global Environmental Change and Human Health Project will identify and quantify health risks posed by global environmental change, and develop cost-effective adaptation strategies. The Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study addresses the interaction between humans and the environment in Asia in order to support strategies for sustainable development in the region.

ESSP is a joint initiative of four global environmental change research programmes: DIVERSITAS, the international programme of biodiversity science, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP), and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP).

ESSP: www.essp.org

Seeing the wood for the trees

EEA has released European Forest Types, a new scheme for classifying Europe’s forests. The scheme offers 14 new major forest type categories to replace the previous three categories—deciduous, coniferous and mixed—used in reporting of forest data. The agency says these new tools will help experts capture the true ecological conditions in Europe’s forests and allow better analysis of the great variation in biodiversity, forest utilisation and other environmental factors. They will be used for reporting and monitoring of forests under international conventions.

Forests and their ecosystems are of increasing interest to scientists. Recent research has highlighted that forest nitrogen cycles may play an important role in climate change [JEM, 2006, 8, 1104].

EEA: European Forest Types, http://reports.eea.europa.eu/technical_report_2006_9/en

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