Clean Air – Regionally and Globally

The Nordic countries are net importers of air pollution and consequently dependent on emission control action in surrounding countries to protect health and environment. By providing science-based information and strategic policy inputs to the international work, the Nordic countries can continue to influence the direction and ambition.

Although the Europe and North America were first in establishing an international environmental agreement to combat air pollution, many other regions in the world have established, or are on their way to establish, international cooperation aimed at reducing air pollution. Correspondingly, there is an opportunity for inter-regional knowledge-sharing and capacity building to ensure that air pollution control is done efficiently and where it is most needed.

There are several ongoing and important policy processes affecting Nordic air pollution in one way or the other. Within the EU, the revised EU AAQD was finally adopted on the 14^th of October 2024, and it is expected that a revision of the EU NEC Directive will start soon. Wider, the UNECE Gothenburg protocol is currently undergoing a revision. Wider still, there is an important ongoing process within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on establishment of new emission control areas.

There are also important environmental policy processes that more indirectly will affect Nordic air quality. The Arctic Council target year for emission reductions of short-lived climate forcers is fast approaching. This target is now also complemented with the Global Methane Pledge which has been signed by all Nordic countries and aims for a 30% reduction of 2020 emission levels by 2030. In addition, high-profile negotiations are ongoing in the global conventions on biodiversity and climate change, both which will be affected by (or affect) air pollution.

By providing valuable information and strategic policy input to the Air Convention and EU policy processes, the Nordic countries have been able to influence their direction and level of ambition, ensuring that specific Nordic concerns are addressed. Compared to global initiatives, regional collaborations, with fewer participants, allow for more significant impact and easier engagement. The Nordic countries have since long had a close relationship, particularly with the Air Convention, where the Nordic Council is regarded as a key and trusted partner.

The period leading up to 2030 presents numerous opportunities for the Nordic countries to contribute to advancing the international agenda on air pollution. The EU has revised its Air Quality Directive, introducing stricter requirements to be met by 2030. Nordic cooperation in implementing these new standards could prove highly beneficial.

Under the Air Convention, a comprehensive revision of the Gothenburg Protocol is underway and is expected to conclude by December 2026, and after conclusion of the review, a revision of the EU National Emission reduction Commitments Directive (NECD) is expected. These two processes largely run in parallel, though the Air Convention covers a broader geographic region. Contributions to one process are likely to influence also the other. Key negotiation topics for the Gothenburg Protocol, which are expected to impact on the NECD, include new emission reduction commitments (with a particular focus on ammonia emissions) further reductions in black carbon emissions, addressing methane, updating the technical annexes, new flexibilities to facilitate ratification and implementation by non-parties, integrated approaches (climate, energy, air), and overarching collective risk-based targets.

While these regional developments are significant, there is a growing call for greater global responsibility and enhanced international cooperation on air pollution management. This is reflected in the recent resolution on air pollution by the United Nations Environment Assembly. The Air Convention’s Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution (FICAP) aims to facilitate international exchange of information and mutual learning on both the scientific/technical and policy levels and complement ongoing efforts by making the Air Conventions 45 years of experience, tools, methods and expertise available also to other regions, countries and organizations. To engage with the Forum could be one way for the Nordic countries to contribute to the global agenda. 

The group mainly discussed opportunities for the Nordic countries and the Nordic Council of Ministers to contribute to the ongoing revision of the Gothenburg Protocol, the implementation of the current and the revised EU AAQD, and the review and possible revision of the EU NECD. It was generally agreed that now is a good time to influence these three processes. As regards specific pollutants, most attention was given to ammonia, methane and black carbon.

The Nordic cooperation on air quality should aim to:

Support the use of structural measures (such as dietary changes) in decision-support models. A common theme for all three policy processes discussed here, was emissions of ammonia from agriculture. It is important for Nordic decision-makers to acknowledge that ecosystems in the Nordic region often are more sensitive than those in other regions. Therefore, safeguarding the health of Nordic ecosystems will likely require measures beyond those primarily technical ones that are currently modelled by existing decision-support models. Structural measures, such as dietary changes, often have the additional advantage of also reducing methane emissions.

Stress the importance of using the effects-based approach. This is important in the processes where decision-support models are used for setting targets and objectives, especially in order to ensure the safeguarding of sensitive Nordic ecosystems. The Nordic countries have vast ecosystem areas, many of which are not (yet) beyond rescue.

Enhance Nordic cooperation on how to best implement the monitoring requirements of the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive. The revised AAQD set up ambitious but vague requirements for monitoring of air quality. The vagueness will require interpretation and discussions to make the requirements concrete and enforceable. It is likely that coordinated Nordic efforts will be more effective than stand-alone efforts.

Strengthen the Nordic engagement in the Air Convention’s Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution (FICAP). FICAP aims to facilitate international exchange of information and mutual learning at both scientific/technical and policy levels. Building on the Air Convention’s nearly five decades experience of air pollution cooperation and control in Europe and North America, methods and expertise are made available also to other regions, countries and organizations. To engage with FICAP provides an opportunity for the Nordic countries to contribute to the clean air work globally, as well as in the Nordics.

Harmonize and improve ecosystems reporting. Over the next few years, the EU’s NEC Directive is up for review and possible revision, which provides an opportunity to improve and harmonize the ecosystem reporting (Article 9 and Annex V in the NECD). The reporting should include potential links to commitments under the Air Convention, UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), EU Natura 2000, EU Nature Restoration Act, EU Nitrate Directive, EU Water Framework Directive. To enable improvement and harmonization, one solution is to develop coordinated reporting routines amongst relevant Nordic stakeholders.

Encourage more monitoring of ultra-fine particles (UFP) and black carbon (BC), as well as chemical transport modelling and epidemiological research to clarify the role of UFP and BC in PM_2.5 health effects. The Nordic countries are exposed to high levels of imported PM pollution, and more monitoring data of these pollutants, as well as high-resolution long-term exposure data, are needed to build stronger scientific evidence on the health impact. This knowledge is needed also to help disentangle potential differences in the impacts of various types of PM pollution.

Support the revision process of the Gothenburg Protocol, including Nordic reports and regional topic-specific capacity building, especially on abatement of ammonia from the agricultural sector. The Nordic countries have a long tradition of linking air pollution science and policy, and safeguarding the sensitive Nordic ecosystems require significant additional emission reductions. However, ambitious ammonia abatement efforts have met resistance from stakeholders, much due to disputed effects on productivity in the agricultural sector. Efforts are needed to remove barriers to effective implementation of necessary emission control solutions.

The discussions under the theme ‘Clean Air – Regionally and Global’ were mainly aimed at the EU’s AAQD and NECD policy processes, and the Air Convention’s Gothenburg Protocol. But it is conceivable that several of the projects and initiatives presented above are applicable also to many other international arenas, such as the Arctic Council, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), and the Global Methane Pledge.