The document summarizes a study on the contribution of LIFE projects to the implementation and development of EU air quality policy from 2005-2011. It finds that most projects focused on preventing industrial pollution and developing monitoring and assessment tools early on. More recent projects emphasized transportation policies and urban planning, reflecting increased EU focus on livable cities. While many projects helped enact directives on air pollutants like NOx and particulate matter, awareness-raising received less attention. The majority of projects were in Italy, Spain, France and Germany, indicating opportunity for more widespread benefits across all member states.

1. Green Week 2013
The contribution of LIFE projects to the implementation and
development of EU air quality policy and legislation

2. Scope of the study
• Assess the contribution of LIFE ENV/INF
projects to the implementation, dissemination
and further development of EU air-related
policies and legislation

3. Background
• 108 projects were identified as relevant in the period 2005-
2011
• 101 were short-listed for further analysis
• Carbon-related projects were not studied: different priority
areas within the 6th
EAP

4. Structure of the study
1. Trends from 1992 until 2011
2. Evaluation of projects in relation to EU air
policy and legislation
3. Analysis of projects’ achievements
4. Conclusions

5. 1. Trends - Background
• 231 projects were identified as relating to air
quality in the entirety of the LIFE programme
(1992-2011)

6. 1. Trends - Distribution of air-related LIFE
projects per year

7. 1. Trends - Grouping
• Projected were grouped in the following areas:
– Assessment and monitoring of air quality
– Pollution prevention
– Policy and management tools
– Pollution treatment
– Waste management and recycling
– Awareness-raising

8. 1. Trends - Grouping
• Those were further broken down in the
following sectors:
– Industry
– Transportation
– Agriculture

9. 1. Trends – Number of projects in different
areasArea No. of projects
Pollution prevention in industry 66
Assessment and monitoring of air quality 42
Policy and management systems in transportation 23
Pollution prevention in transportation 19
Policy and management tools 19
Waste management and recycling 18
Pollution treatment 18
Awareness-raising 11
Pollution prevention in agriculture 8
Policy and management systems in industry 4
Other pollution prevention 3

10. 1. Trends – Percentages of projects in different areas

11. 1. Trends – Main findings I
• Most focus on preventing pollution from
industrial activities (28.57% of all projects)
• This might have had an effect on the
progressively decreasing number of projects
addressing end-of-pipe emissions

12. 1. Trends – Main findings II
• Monitoring and assessment of air quality projects
were the majority during the early years of LIFE,
but have weaned in the later years, although are
still present
• This illustrates the initial need to acquire a good
picture of the situation regarding air quality

13. 1. Trends – Main findings III
• Policy and management tools regarding transportation and
urban planning have surged during the past five years
• The same applies for pollution prevention technology
systems in transportation
• Greater push towards the development of livable cities
– This is illustrated by the adoption in 2006 of the Thematic
Strategy on the Urban Environment within the EAP.

14. 1. Trends – Main findings IV
• A very small percentage of projects (4.76%) focused
directly on communication with the public, campaigning or
awareness-raising
• This might be the outcome of difficulties in quantifying the
results of such projects
• Since all LIFE projects need to disseminate information to
the public, decreased interest might have ensued for
projects focusing solely on that

15. II. Legislation and policies
• The study looked at the legislation and
policies addressed by the relevant LIFE
projects

16. II. Legislation and policies –
Short review of EU air policy
• The 6th
Environment Action Programme was launched in 2002 and
will remain in force until 2012
• Air quality falls within one of its four key environmental priorities,
“Environment and Health”
• The objective is to achieve “levels of air quality that do not give rise
to significant negative impact on and risk to human health and
environment”.

17. II. Legislation and policies –
Short review of EU air policy
• Clean Air for Europe (CAFE)
– Launched in 2001
– Aims to review air quality policies and assess the progress
taken towards attainment of long-term air quality
objectives
– Sets highest priority in dealing with particulate matter
(PM) and ground-level ozone
– High attention also given to acidification and
eutrophication.

18. II. Legislation and policies –
Short review of EU air policy
• The Thematic Strategy for Air Pollution
– Developed in 2005
– Established air quality objectives to be achieved by 2020
– Significant reductions in emissions of:
• SO2 (82%)
• NOX (60%)
• primary PM2.5 (59%)
• VOCs (51%)
• ammonia (27%)

19. II. Legislation and policies –
Short review of EU air policy
• Measures proposed within the TSAP for the realisation of
those targets:
– Stricter limit values for air pollutants
– Increases in energy efficiency
– Promotion of renewable energy sources
– Further examination of the impact aviation and shipping have
– Reduction in the use of nitrogen in fertilisers
– Closer involvement of sectors affecting air quality

20. II. Legislation and policies – Relation
with LIFE projects
• Nearly all LIFE projects relate in one way or another with the
Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution
• 75 projects aim for the reduction of at least one pollutant
identified within the TSAP
• The rest 26 projects aim to create tools to monitor, enforce
and build further awareness on pollution and its effects.

21. II. Legislation and policies – Pollutants
addressed by projects
Pollutant No. of
projects
NOx 28
Particulate matter 26
VOCs 19
Ozone 10
CO 9
SOx 9
Ammonia 8
PAH, Hydrocarbons, Lead,
Benzene
8

22. II. Legislation and policies - Remarks
• A significant number of projects addressed more than one air-related
directive, while there’s also significant cross-cutting with other thematic
areas
– It has been almost impossible to link a project exclusively to one legislative
text
• Although LIFE ENV/INF projects implement a significant part of the
legislation, some of it is not addressed at all
– This applies mostly to legislation that is highly specialised, such as Directive
2009/126/EC on Stage II petrol vapour recovery during refuelling of motor
vehicles at service stations
• The directives mostly addressed were the generic ones, such as Directive
2008/50/EC Air Quality Framework Directive and 2001/81/EC on National
Emission ceilings

23. II. Legislation and policies –
Air quality framework
Directive No. of projects
Air Quality Framework
96/62/EC & Daughter
Directives
Framework
83
2001/81/EC
2008/50/EC
2004/107/EC
Arsenic, Cadmium,
Mercury, Nickel and
Polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons 5
TOTAL 88

24. II. Legislation and policies –
Sources: Industry
Industry No. of
projects
84/360/EEC
Industrial Plants 28
96/61/EC
2008/1/EC
1999/13/EC Solvents 8
2001/80/EC
Large Combustion
Plants 3
TOTAL 39

25. II. Legislation and policies –
Sources: Waste
Waste No. of projects
75/442/EEC
Waste Framework 82008/98/EC
2002/96/EC
Electrical and Electronic
Equipment 5
91/689/EEC & 2002/965 Hazardous Waste 5
1999/31/EC Landfills 4
2000/76/EC
Waste Incineration 3
TOTAL 25

26. II. Legislation and policies –
Sources: Transportation
Transportation No. of projects
2003/30/EC Biofuels 5
97/68/EC &
2005/33/EC
Non-road mobile
machinery &
Sulphur in marine
fuels 2
2009/33/EC
Clean Road
Transport 2
TOTAL 9

27. II. Legislation and policies –
Project focus
• Sixty-five projects are dealing with reduction of pollutants, either
through prevention of emissions or through pollution treatment
technologies.
• Thirty-seven projects aim to develop policy instruments and
monitoring tools in order to assess the effects air pollution has on
human health.
• Only four projects address awareness raising and communication
with stakeholders.

28. III. Where do projects intervene –
Implementation of directives
• Most projects focus on the implementation of directives,
particularly with regard to pollution prevention
• Some characteristic examples:
– AMELIE (LIFE05 ENV/F/000053) aims to find reliable lead-free
alternatives
– UNIZEO (LIFE10 ENV/IT000347) aims to coat urea-based nitrogen
fertiliser with zeolite, reducing air pollution from ammonia

29. III. Where do projects intervene – BAT
• A significant number of projects focuses on demonstrating or developing
further the best available technique (BAT)
• Most of these projects are highly innovative in technology
• Some characteristic examples:
– HotOxyGlass (LIFE07 ENV/F/000179) has led to the creation of the Boussois
furnace, regarded as the greenest flat glass furnace in the world
– WINTECC (LIFE06 ENV/D/000479) has developed innovative technologies for
cleaner maritime transportation, through the development of a new
propulsion system

30. III. Where do projects intervene – BAT
• Other projects further the understanding of BAT
• Some characteristic examples:
–BATsGraph (LIFE07 ENV/E/000836) – development of eTool
to help implement BAT in the printing industry
–ZERO PLUS (LIFE05 ENV/E/000256) – management of liquid
wastes by integrating existing BAT under real-life conditions

31. III. Where do projects intervene – BAT
• Other projects set new BAT
• Some characteristic examples:
– VOCless pulping (LIFE06 ENV/FIN/000201) and VOCless waste water (LIFE09
ENV/FI/000568) attempt to integrate best components of current practices
• In this field the EC Reference Document on BAT is limited to just a few practices
– ZEMSHIPS (LIFE06 ENV/D/000465) – the first hydrogen-powered passenger
ship – aims to redefine fully the BAT for maritime transportation

32. III. Where do projects intervene –
Monitoring
• A host of projects aims to monitor pollution dispersion and their
effects on human health
• Some characteristic examples:
– RESCATAME (LIFE08 ENV/E/000107) monitors pollution in real-time
using air-quality sensors
– MONALISA (LIFE05 ENV/F/000068) monitors pollen in the atmosphere
by an online antigenicity/allergenicity measurement

33. III. Where do projects intervene –
Development of policy tools
• Other projects aim to develop policy and management tools
• Some characteristic examples:
– OPERA (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000092) develops a methodology through
which local authorities can prepare, implement and monitor air
quality plans that can be integrated within national and European
plans
– ATMOSYS (LIFE09 ENV/BE/000409) aims to set up an advanced air
quality modelling system and web-based service

34. III. Where do projects intervene –
Awareness-raising
• Only four projects worked solely with increasing awareness
• However, many projects not focusing on awareness per se undertook extensive
dissemination strategies
• They spend approximately 7%-10% of their budget in this
• A characteristic example is the project SMAQ (LIFE05 ENV/GR/000214):
– Opening and closing event
– Production and distribution of 10,000 leaflets in five languages
– A website
– Two inter-regional workshops
– Six publication in journals
– Presentations at international symposia

35. III. Where do projects intervene –
Awareness-raising
• There have been no LIFE INF projects related to air quality up until
2011.
• Projects focusing on awareness-raising have a much greater scope
• For example, LEADFREE (LIFE05 ENV/D/000197) set up a
demonstration and training centre which reached approximately
600 European SMEs in the fields of electronics

36. III. Where do projects intervene –
Acting as catalysts
• Many projects help implement local air-related programs
and policies
• 26 projects have a municipality as beneficiary or
associate – half of them in Italy
• Those projects have a combined budget over 50 million
euro

37. III. Where do projects intervene –
Acting as catalysts
• Other projects help integrate local communities with European legislation
• Some characteristic examples:
– ROMAIR (LIFE08 ENV/F/000485) has the explicit goal of helping Romania
integrate its policies with EU legislation by implementing an air quality
modelling and forecast system
• Such projects are important for the further development and integration
of regions
• They also help fine-tune the approach LIFE ENV/INF projects should follow
trying to implement European legislation at the local setting through
lessons learned.

38. III. Where do projects intervene –
Acting as catalysts
• However, such integration is not equally-spread.
• 65% of all projects take place in just four member-states:
Italy, Spain, France, Germany
• A push for more widespread push for all Member-States to
benefit from LIFE would be beneficial for integration

39. IV. Analysis of achievements – Successes
and failures of 2005-2011 projects
Performance No. of Projects
Successful 48
Unsuccessful 5
Successful after LIFE project
ended
2
Still open, on good track 33
Still open, at initial phase 7
Still open, with significant
delays
6
TOTAL 101

40. IV. Analysis of achievements – Strengths
• Technological Innovation
• Approximately one third of all air-related LIFE projects
• Many aim to develop breakthrough technology and to
set new standards
• Can be risky and costly, but carry great promise

41. IV. Analysis of achievements – Strengths
• Integrative principles
• Facilitate cooperation among disjoined stakeholders and between
stakeholders and the general public
• Expand the understanding regarding the entire system which
surrounds a given practice, for example electric cars
• A key part is cooperation between stakeholders of different
member-states, such as in project EC4MACS (LIFE06
ENV/PREP/A/000006)

42. IV. Analysis of achievements – Strengths
• Demonstration value & transfer potential
• Many projects are demonstrated in real conditions
• By implementing directives in local circumstances, they provide
valuable lessons
• A host of projects are designed to be transferrable to other
locales

43. V. Projects contributing to the development of new air-
related policies and legislation - Opportunities
• Complementary sub-legislation to already existing texts
– Aims mostly for local/national legislation
– Is the result of technological innovation
• A characteristic example is ES-WAMAR (LIFE06 ENV/E/000044)
– No legislation on slurry treatment existent in Spain
– Legislation for wastewater applied in this case as well
– The project aimed to develop further and refine existing laws
– The Environment ministry asked for assistance in understanding BAT
so as to develop the law 26/2007 on environmental liability (a
transposition of Directive 2004/35/EC )

44. V. Projects contributing to the development of new air-
related policies and legislation (Opportunities)
• New approaches not yet covered by existing EU legislation
– Innovation is once more the driving force
• Examples include projects VOCless Waster Water (LIFE09
ENV/FI/000568) and BIOCOVER (LIFE05 ENV/DK/000141) which
develop technologies for which no relevant legislation exists
• Electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles are also addressed by five
projects
– The demonstration value of those projects can aid the development of
relevant legislation

45. V. Projects contributing to the development of new air-
related policies and legislation - Opportunities
• Input for specific legislation
• The project PhotoPaq (LIFE08 ENV/F/000487) proposed
new “de-polluting” materials that are photo-catalytic and
self-cleaning as a method to fulfill the 6th
EAP objectives
• Many projects provide input for the implementation of
legislation, by increasing the information base.

46. V. Projects contributing to the development of
new air-related policies and legislation -
Opportunities
• Contributing to the revision of specific legislation
• Project Sludge’s Wealth (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000186) proposes the
revision of Directive 86/278/EEC on sewage sludge, which is
outdated

47. V. Projects contributing to the development of new air-
related policies and legislation - Opportunities
• Further development of related norms and standards
• Innovative projects work to set a point of reference for
the development of future EU directives through
redefining BAT
• A good example is BATinLoko (LIFE07 ENV/P/000625)
– Input on the textile BAT Reference Document (BREF)
– The Portuguese Environmental Agency already suggested
using its standards for BAT application in the country

48. V. Projects contributing to the development of new air-
related policies and legislation - Opportunities
• Dissemination of environmental legislation
• Only a few projects disseminate explicitly legislation
• An example is CLEAN AIR (LIFE11 ENV/DE/000495)
– Aims to increase awareness regarding the Air Quality Directive
– Capacity building within hundreds of NGOs, institutions etc.
– Aims to reach 25 million European through concentrated media
campaigns

49. VI. Frequently encountered barriers towards the
implementation of air quality projects
• Problems with data
• Applies for monitoring and assessment projects
• Some problems encountered by projects:
– Insufficient amount of meteorological stations
– Data is costly
– Historical data – needed to draw patterns – don’t exist in digital form
– Industries not obliged to give information or don’t have good monitoring equipment
– Pollution from non-point sources is diffused and its effects hard to quantify
• Statistical data are used, with lower accuracy
• This threat underlines the importance of monitoring projects

50. VI. Frequently encountered barriers towards the
implementation of air quality projects
• Costs and the financial crisis
• Applies mostly for technologically innovative projects
• Greater than foreseen cost might constitute the technology industrially
inapplicable
• Certain industries (e.g. aluminium, steel, iron etc.) are facing problems
across Europe; relevant projects suffer as beneficiaries might pull out
• Projects that address external costs can suffer particularly, since they
offer a real but not “visible” result

51. VI. Frequently encountered barriers towards the
implementation of air quality projects
• Technology not mature enough or not accepted
• This can create problems due to lack of horizontal infrastructure,
for instance for electric cars
• Skepticism is particularly a problem where there is liability involved
• Some projects require a know-how that is not widely spread: this
threatens successful dissemination of practices

52. VI. Frequently encountered barriers towards the
implementation of air quality projects
• Political changes and lack of cooperation
• Many projects rely on key political stakeholders (parties or
person) and changes can jeopardise them
– It is proposed that this can be addressed by working to include
projects in the strategic plans of a locality
• Lack of cooperation (even suspicion) can exist between
previously disjoined stakeholders
• Some industries might be traditionally skeptical for the
environmental cause

53. Thank you for your attention!