Report urges integrated approach on air quality and climate change

A new report published by the environmental change institute at NUI Galway calls on European researchers and policymakers to agree an integrated approach to tackling both air quality and climate change.

Although air quality and climate change have traditionally been addressed as separate problems, the solution to one could also be an efficient solution to the other if carefully devised, according to the report.

Report editor Dr Colin O'Dowd said an integrated scientific and technical analysis of key air quality and climate change issues would better support policy development.

"Not all areas of air quality and climate change are closely linked, partly due to their different impacts over different time scales. However, there is significant opportunity to develop synergistic research work in key common areas," he said.

"With increasing economic activity, pollutant emissions impact more and more on air quality and climate change. For example, methane - a global greenhouse gas - is also a source of ozone which is a local pollutant. Therefore reductions in methane emissions can lead to a reduction in ozone levels. Similar common issues exist with the impact of atmospheric aerosols (or particulate matter) on air quality and climate."

The report is a strategic output document from the Atmospheric Composition Change - The European Network of Excellence (Accent) which brings together the views of leading researchers and policy contributors in Europe and the US, and highlights the common research and policy issues relating to air quality and climate change.

It also outlines strategies for harmonising research in support of policy development for the future in terms of common issues between air quality and climate change.

The target audience is national and European policymakers such as the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, departments in other EU member states, the European Environmental Agency and research funding bodies.