Articles

Building our knowledge about air

Nicole Kobosil — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:30:07 +0200

Our knowledge and understanding of air pollution is growing every year. We have an expanding network of monitoring stations reporting data on a wide range of air pollutants, complemented with results from air quality models. We now have to make sure that scientific knowledge and policy continue to develop hand in hand.

Air legislation in Europe

Nicole Kobosil — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:29:12 +0200

Air pollution is not the same everywhere. Different pollutants are released into the atmosphere from a wide range of sources. Once in the atmosphere, they can transform into new pollutants and spread around the world. Designing and implementing policies to address this complexity are not easy tasks. Below is an overview of air legislation in the European Union.

Indoor air quality

Nicole Kobosil — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:50:38 +0200

Many of us might spend up to 90 % of our day indoors — at home, work or school. The quality of the air we breathe indoors also has a direct impact on our health. What determines indoor air quality? Is there any difference between outdoor and indoor air pollutants? How can we improve indoor air quality?

Europe’s air today

Nicole Kobosil — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:49:02 +0200

Europe has improved its air quality in recent decades. Emissions of many pollutants were curbed successfully, but particulate matter and ozone pollution in particular continue to pose serious risks to the health of Europeans.

Every breath we take

Nicole Kobosil — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:01:55 +0200

We breathe from the moment we are born until the moment we die. It is a vital and constant need, not only for us but for all life on Earth. Poor air quality affects us all: it harms our health and the health of the environment, which leads to economic losses. But what does the air we breathe consist of and where do the various air pollutants come from?

Dublin tackles the health impacts of air pollution

Maheva Bagard Laursen — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:16:34 +0200

Martin Fitzpatrick is a Principal Environmental Health Officer in the air quality monitoring and noise unit of Dublin City Council, Ireland. He is also the Dublin contact point for a pilot project run by the European Commission DG Environment and the EEA aimed at improving the implementation of air legislation. We asked him how Dublin tackles the health problems linked to poor air quality.

A matter of chemistry

Maheva Bagard Laursen — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:17:22 +0200

The chemistry of our atmosphere is complex. The atmosphere contains layers with different densities and different chemical compositions. We asked Professor David Fowler from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology of the Natural Environment Research Council in the United Kingdom, about the air pollutants and chemical processes in our atmosphere that impact our health and the environment.

A portrait of global aerosols

Nicole Kobosil — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:43:56 +0200

‘African dust’ from the Sahara is one of the natural sources of particulate matter in the air. Extremely dry and hot conditions in the Sahara create turbulence, which can propel dust upwards to a height of 4–5 km. Particles can stay at these heights for weeks or months, and are often blown across Europe.

The melting Arctic

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:10:00 +0100

The extent of the sea ice in the Arctic reached a new record low in September 2012. Climate change is melting the sea ice in the region at a rate much faster than estimated by earlier projections. The snow cover also shows a downward trend. The melting Arctic might impact not only the people living in the region, but also elsewhere in Europe and beyond.

Water in the city

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:00:00 +0200

With population growth, urbanisation and economic development, the demand for freshwater in urban areas are increasing throughout Europe. At the same time, climate change and pollution are also affecting the availability of water for city residents. How can Europe's cities continue providing clean freshwater to their residents?

Water for agriculture

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 11:00:00 +0200

We need food and we need clean freshwater to produce our food. With growing demand from human activities on the one hand and climate change on the other, many regions especially in the south struggle to find enough freshwater to meet their needs. How can we continue growing food without letting nature go thirsty for clean water? A more efficient use of water in agriculture would certainly help.

Local and global

Nicole Kobosil — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0200

When faced with scarcity or increasing pressures on vital resources such as water and land, the question of who decides can be as important as how natural resources are managed and used. Global coordination is often essential but without local endorsement and involvement, nothing can be done on the ground.

Europe's water: efficient use is a must

Gülcin KARADENIZ — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:50:00 +0200

Clean water is a natural resource vital not only for life on Earth but also for the wellbeing of our societies and economy. However, in many parts of Europe, this valuable resource is coming under increasing pressure, often seen in the form of over-exploitation and pollution.

Turning the urban challenge into an opportunity

Marie Jaegly — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:50:00 +0200

Copenhagen, 2 July 2011. Up to 150 mm of rainfall in two hours – a city record since measurements began in the mid-1800s. Homes destroyed. Citizens and emergency services struggled to cope. This is one example of how excessive extreme weather events can affect a European capital – events that are expected more often under climate change.

Forests, health and climate change

Marie Jaegly — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:50:00 +0100

Forests are essential to our survival and well-being. Forests clean our air, our water, our soil and they regulate our climate, amongst many other things. Trees and forests are not always associated with urban landscapes. However, there too they provide invaluable, often invisible, services. Simply by acting as 'green oasis' in our concrete jungles, they offer recreation and health services for many European citizens.