 |
|
Network of scientists is driving force in EU air pollution policy
December 04, 2003Atmospheric protection is a big challenge for the 21st century. In teaching scientists to design outputs that become the stuff of hard policy, the impact of EUROTRAC-2 is far-reaching.
Nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and aerosols, major contributors to atmospheric pollution, do not respect national borders. But thanks to EUREKA project E! 1489 EUROTRAC-2, the EU's largest ever study on atmospheric pollution, we know much more about where such pollutants were created, under what chemical disguises they travel and their human and environmental health consequences.
EUROTRAC-2 marked the second phase of the original EUROTRAC research initiative, which started 15 years ago and was among the first projects sponsored by EUREKA. This second phase involved over 300 research groups in
14 sub-projects, generating 900 scientific papers, more than 100 PhD theses and vastly expanding our collective knowledge bank.
The 25 countries involved in EUROTRAC-2 overcame scientific and language boundaries to study the many types of air pollution - from the particles flying off car tyres to the movement of clouds of pollutants 18 kilometres above the earth.
This hard evidence is helping to defeat scientific uncertainty, a huge barrier to political attempts to moderate global air pollution. With a clear remit to connect science to policy making, EUROTRAC-2 research is directly shaping negotiations to update the 1996 EU Air Quality Framework Directive and related legislation.
"Transboundary pollution is politically delicate, so the negotiators need a firm scientific platform," says Dr Pauline Midgley of the National Research Centre for Environment and Health (GSF), Germany, who co-ordinated the project. "The major advance of EUROTRAC-2 was to promote truly interdisciplinary research, and I believe the results will heavily influence EU legislation. Air pollution is a continent-wide issue, and EUREKA helped scientists in Central and Eastern Europe to receive funds they may otherwise have had difficulty finding."
Connecting science with policy
One of the sub-projects, SATURN, may help city dwellers breathe easier through its in-depth study on urban pollution in parking lots and between buildings.
Researchers used wind tunnels to study how air flows over different shapes of buildings. Finding that air pollutants concentrate within the turbulence created by some designs, SATURN concluded that existing air sampling is inadequate. "You can get different patterns of pollutants on different sides of a street," says Nicolas Moussiopoulos from the Aristotle University in Greece. In future, city planners may be obliged to consider pollution 'hot spots' before building.
Other examples of sub-projects are TROPOSAT, which was partially funded by the European Space Agency and used its satellite data to track regional pollutant drifts, and EXPORT-2, which monitored the global transport of pollution.
EUROTRAC-2 is now complete, but this continent-wide network intends to continue with new funding under the EU's 6th Framework Programme.
Eureka
14 sub-projects, generating 900 scientific papers, more than 100 PhD theses and vastly expanding our collective knowledge bank.
The 25 countries involved in EUROTRAC-2 overcame scientific and language boundaries to study the many types of air pollution - from the particles flying off car tyres to the movement of clouds of pollutants 18 kilometres above the earth.
This hard evidence is helping to defeat scientific uncertainty, a huge barrier to political attempts to moderate global air pollution. With a clear remit to connect science to policy making, EUROTRAC-2 research is directly shaping negotiations to update the 1996 EU Air Quality Framework Directive and related legislation.
"Transboundary pollution is politically delicate, so the negotiators need a firm scientific platform," says Dr Pauline Midgley of the National Research Centre for Environment and Health (GSF), Germany, who co-ordinated the project. "The major advance of EUROTRAC-2 was to promote truly interdisciplinary research, and I believe the results will heavily influence EU legislation. Air pollution is a continent-wide issue, and EUREKA helped scientists in Central and Eastern Europe to receive funds they may otherwise have had difficulty finding."
Connecting science with policy
One of the sub-projects, SATURN, may help city dwellers breathe easier through its in-depth study on urban pollution in parking lots and between buildings.
Researchers used wind tunnels to study how air flows over different shapes of buildings. Finding that air pollutants concentrate within the turbulence created by some designs, SATURN concluded that existing air sampling is inadequate. "You can get different patterns of pollutants on different sides of a street," says Nicolas Moussiopoulos from the Aristotle University in Greece. In future, city planners may be obliged to consider pollution 'hot spots' before building.
Other examples of sub-projects are TROPOSAT, which was partially funded by the European Space Agency and used its satellite data to track regional pollutant drifts, and EXPORT-2, which monitored the global transport of pollution.
EUROTRAC-2 is now complete, but this continent-wide network intends to continue with new funding under the EU's 6th Framework Programme.
Eureka
Air Pollution Current Events and Air Pollution News RSSResearch reveals exactly how coughing is triggered by environmental irritants
Scientists have revealed how environmental irritants such as air pollution and cigarette smoke cause people to cough, in research published today in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Exposures to metals and diesel emissions in air linked to respiratory symptoms in children
Exposure shortly after birth to ambient metals from residential heating oil combustion and particles from diesel emissions are associated with respiratory symptoms in young inner city children.
Hidden threat: Elevated pollution levels near regional airports
Scientists are reporting evidence that air pollution - a well-recognized problem at major airports - may pose an important but largely overlooked health concern for people living near smaller regional airports.
Consumption of certain fish during pregnancy associated with poorer cognitive performance
Children who eat fish more than 3 times per week show a worse performance in the general cognitive, executive and perceptual-manipulative areas.
Nitrogen loss threatens desert plant life, study shows
As the climate gets warmer, arid soils lose nitrogen as gas, reports a new Cornell study. That could lead to deserts with even less plant life than they sustain today, say the researchers.
Air pollution increases infants' risk of bronchiolitis
Infants who are exposed to higher levels of air pollution are at increased risk for bronchiolitis, according to a new study.
USC study finds big air pollution impacts on local communities
Heavy traffic corridors in the cities of Long Beach and Riverside are responsible for a significant proportion of preventable childhood asthma, and the true impact of air pollution and ship emissions on the disease has likely been underestimated, according to researchers at the University of Southern California (USC).
Researchers discover links between city walkability and air pollution exposure
A new study compares neighborhoods' walkability (degree of ease for walking) with local levels of air pollution and finds that some neighborhoods might be good for walking, but have poor air quality.
Shifting the world to 100 percent clean, renewable energy as early as 2030 -- here are the numbers
Most of the technology needed to shift the world from fossil fuel to clean, renewable energy already exists. Implementing that technology requires overcoming obstacles in planning and politics, but doing so could result in a 30 percent decrease in global power demand.
Report examines hidden costs of energy production and use
A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates "hidden" costs of energy production and use -- such as the damage air pollution imposes on human health -- that are not reflected in market prices of coal, oil, other energy sources, or the electricity and gasoline produced from them.
More Air Pollution Current Events and Air Pollution News Articles
 |
Fundamentals of Air Pollution, Fourth Edition by Daniel Vallero Dr. Vallero holds a Ph.D. in engineering from Duke University a Masters in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Kansas a Masters in City and Regional Planning from Southern Illinois University and a Bachelors in the Earth Sciences and Psychology from SIU. (Author) Fundamentals of Air Pollution is an important and widely used textbook in the environmental science and engineering community. Written shortly after the passage of the seminal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the third edition was quite timely. Surprisingly, the text has remained relevant for university professors, engineers, scientists, policy makers and students up to recent years. However, in light of the transition in the last five years from predominantly technology-based standards (maximum achievable control technologies or MACTs) to risk-based regulations and air quality standards, the text must be updated significantly. The fourth edition will be updated to include numerous MACTs which were not foreseen during the writing of the third edition, such as secondary lead (Pb)... |
 |
Air Pollution: Its Origin and Control (3rd Edition) by Kenneth Wark (Author), Cecil F. Warner (Author), Wayne T. Davis (Author) A well-respected air pollution text, this book is suitable for a variety of engineers and scientists who wish to gain an introduction to the field of air pollution. Known for its detailed development and application of equations, the text emphasizes an understanding of the relationship between sources and control of air pollution, rather than being a simple "handbook" on the subject. The book presents information on four broad areas of interest in the air pollution field: the effects of pollutants on health and welfare; the laws and regulations that have been passed in efforts to improve air quality; the modeling of atmospheric dispersion of pollutants; the approaches to the control of emissions (from both stationary and mobile sources). The third edition of... |
 |
Air Pollution (True Books: Environment) by Rhonda Lucas Donald (Author) Ideal for today's young investigative reader, each A True Book includes lively sidebars, a glossary and index, plus a comprehensive "To Find Out More" section listing books, organizations, and Internet sites. A staple of library collections since the 1950s, the new A True Book series is the definitive nonfiction series for elementary school readers. |
 |
Air Pollution Control (3rd Edition) by C. David Cooper (Author), F. C. Alley (Author) Since the First Edition appeared, Air Pollution Control: A Design Approach has become the leading air pollution control text on the strengths of good writing, comprehensive coverage, an emphasis on design, and excellent real-world examples. The Third Edition continues this tradition of excellence, incorporating new and updated information throughout the text while retaining the topical organization and features that have made it an invaluable learning tool for instructors and students alike. The Third Edition successfully achieves two main objectives. First, it presents detailed information about air pollution and its control. Causes, sources, effects, and regulation of air pollution are discussed, as well as the economic analysis necessary for efficient and effective control of air... |
 |
Air Pollution: Problems and Solutions (Science and Society) by J. S. Kidd (Author), Renee A. Kidd (Author) The impact society has on the progress and acceptance of new science - and vice versa - is greater than most people think. For instance, over the past five years, events indicate that citizens' views have helped change the focus of the research and development carried out by both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and by the Environmental Protection Agency. Likewise, citizen actions have influenced the direction of the activities of organizations such as the World Bank in their efforts to improve agriculture and living conditions in the developing nations of the world. The new "Science and Society" set not only highlights the "what" of science, but also the "why," the "how," and the "who." Each volume provides an accessible, authoritative view of the history and current state of a... |
 |
Atmospheric Pollution by Mark Z. Jacobson (Author) This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the history and science of major air pollution issues. It begins with an introduction to the basic atmospheric chemistry and the history of discovery of chemicals in the atmosphere, and then moves on to a discussion of the evolution of the earth's atmosphere, and the structure and composition of the present-day atmosphere. It also offers a comprehensive and accessible discussion of the five major atmospheric pollution topics: urban outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution, acid deposition, stratospheric ozone reduction, and global climate change. |
|
Nsca Pollution Handbook by Natl Soc for Clean Air The National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection publishes this annual guide to legislation in the UK for pollution control. | |
 |
Air Pollution, Smog, and Acid Rain DVD Starring: Artist Not Provided The thin layer of air that envelops the earth is essential to life. Unfortunately, modern living produces chemical by-products that threaten not only the quality of life, but also the number of living creatures and organisms that can survive in such conditions. |
 |
Air Pollution Engineering Manual by Air & Waste Management Association (Author), Wayne R. Davis (Editor) The definitive resource for information on air pollution emission sources and the technology available to control them. The Air Pollution Engineering Manual has long been recognized as an important source of information on air pollution control issues for industries affected by the Clean Air Act and regulations in other countries. Thoroughly updated to reflect the latest emission factors and control measures for reducing air pollutants, this new edition provides industry and government professionals with the fundamental, technological, and regulatory information they need for compliance with the most recent air pollution standards. Contributing experts from diverse fields discuss the different processes that generate air pollution, equipment used with all types of gases and... |
 |
Chasing Clean Air by Donna Barnett Join tens of thousands of clean air seekers who read Chasing Clean Air; a leading online blog devoted to clean air destinations, resources, and the latest health impact of air pollution studies and practical solutions. Chasing Clean Air documents one woman's search for clean air. With over 900 informative articles and 1000s of photographs, Chasing Clean Air aspires to inspire tens of millions of Americans living in the world's growing smog belt to reach out and breathe clean air.Let Donna entertain, educate, and inspire you with stories from the clean air road! Clean air travel, adventures, and getaways are emphasized, along with toxic pollution when found along the way. If you've ever said, Enough smog and traffic already! join Chasing Clean Air readers who aspire to breathe better... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |