NERAM V, Vancouver, 16-18 October 2006

1
NERAM V, Vancouver, 16-18 October 2006
Science and policy for global air quality
management
Dr. Michal Krzyzanowski Regional Adviser, Air
Quality and Health WHO Regional Office for
Europe European Centre for Environment and
Health, Bonn Office http//www.euro.who.int/air
2
This presentation

• Science WHO Air Quality Guidelines Update
• Policy European (and global) perspectives.

3
WHO Air Quality Guidelines 20 years tradition

• Air Quality Guidelines for Europe, 1987
• Air Quality Guidelines for Europe, 2nd edition,
  2000

http//www.euro.who.int/air/activities/20050223_3

• Assessment of health aspects of air pollution in
  Europe, EC funded project 2003-5
• update of AQG for PM, O3 NO2 recommended

4
AQG Update WHO Working Group Meeting, October
2005
5
WHO AQG Global update Particulate matter
health effects

• Consistent evidence on health effects of PM from
  cities in various regions of the world (both
  developed and developing countries)
• Broad range of health effects (on respiratory
  and CV system)
• Both children and adults are affected
• Adverse effects of PM after both short-term and
  long-term exposures
• No evidence to suggest a threshold effects
  found even at PM concentrations close to a
  background

6
WHO AQG Global update Particulate matter
Recommended Guidelines PM2.5 10 ?g/m3 annual
mean 25 ?g/m3 24-hour mean PM10 20 ?g/m3
annual mean 50 ?g/m3 24-hour mean
7
WHO AQG Global update Particulate matter
rationale for the guideline value

• Robust associations between PM2.5 and mortality
  in several studies with PM2.5 in the range 9-33
  µg/m3
• No apparent thresholds but statistical
  uncertainty at PM2.5 below 13 µg/m3
• Annual mean of 10 µg/m3 should be below the mean
  for most likely effects
• Although adverse effects on health cannot be
  entirely ruled out below 10 µg/m3, its attainment
  is expected to significantly reduce the health
  risks
• AQG and IT-s for PM10 recommended in addition to
  PM2.5 guidelines in recognition of harmul effects
  of coarse PM (fraction between 2.5 and 10 µm).

8
WHO AQG Global update Particulate matter -
annual mean
Annual mean level PM10 (µg/m3) PM2.5 (µg/m3) Basis for the selected level
Interim target-1 (IT-1) 70 35 Levels associated with about 15 higher long-term mortality than at AQG
Interim target-2 (IT-2) 50 25 Risk of premature mortality decreased by approximately 6 compared to IT1
Interim target-3 (IT-3) 30 15 Mortality risk reduced by approximately 6 compared to IT2 levels.
Air quality guideline (AQG) 20 10 Lowest levels at which total, CP and LCA mortality have been shown to increase (Pope et al., 2002). The use of PM2.5 guideline is preferred.
9
WHO AQG Global update Summary of updated AQG
values
AQG levels recommended to be achieved everywhere
in order to significantly reduce the adverse
health effects of pollution
Pollutant Averaging time AQG value
Particulate matter PM2.5 PM10 1 year 24 hour (99th percentile) 1 year 24 hour (99th percentile) 10 µg/m3 25 µg/m3 20 µg/m3 50 µg/m3
Ozone, O3 8 hour, daily maximum 100 µg/m3
Nitrogen dioxide, NO2 1 year 1 hour 40 µg/m3 200 µg/m3
Sulfur dioxide, SO2 24 hour 10 minute 20 µg/m3 500 µg/m3
10
Policy Launch of the AQG Global UpdateWHO HQ,
Geneva, 5 October 2006
MAIL GUARDIAN WHO CALLS FOR IMPROVED AIR
QUALITY 05 October 2006 0913 Teresa Cerojano
Manila, Philippines
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE WHO CALLS FOR
IMPROVED AIR QUALITY, SAYS POLLUTION KILLS 2
MILLION PEOPLE EACH YEAR The Associated Press
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2006
FINANCIAL TIMES HEALTH RISK OF AIR POLLUTION
IS GLOBAL BURDEN, SAYS WHO By Frances Williams in
Geneva Last updated October 6 2006 0300 The
World Health Organisation yesterday launched
stringent guidelines for air pollution that it
said could cut pollution-related deaths in the
dirtiest cities by as much as a sixth.
11
(No Transcript)
12
Turning science into policy objectives
4th Ministerial Conference on Health and
Environment, Budapest, June 2004 Children Health
and Environment Action Plan for Europe
Regional Priority Goal 3 (of 4)
RPG 3. to prevent and reduce respiratory disease
due to outdoor and indoor air pollution, thereby
contributing to a reduction in the frequency of
asthmatic attacks in order to ensure that
children can live in an environment with clean air
13
Turning science into policy objectives
The Communitys Sixth Environmental Action
Programme (6th EAP) called for the development of
a thematic strategy on air pollution with the
objective to attain levels of air quality that
do not give rise to significant negative impacts
on, and risks to human health and the
environment.
14
Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution Council
conclusions, 9 March 2006
2. WELCOMES the Commissions Communication on a
Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution as an
important and well-founded analysis based inter
alia on state of the art scientific
advice, developed by the World Health
Organisation and CONSIDERS this Communication
to be a direct response to the request made in
the Sixth Environmental Action Programme
ACKNOWLEDGES that, even with effective
implementation of current policies, there will
remain very significant adverse impacts on human
health and the environment from air pollution in
2020 and IS CONVINCED that the magnitude of these
impacts is such that additional action must be
taken to combat air pollution in the EU
http//ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/pdf/counc
il_concl_them_strategy.pdf
15
Issues in formulating air quality policy and
action

• Effects even at low pollution levels
• Variety of pollution sources
• Significant contribution of disperse sources
• Contribution of local and remote sources of
  pollution to exposure

Policy must involve various economic sectors and
be implemented at local, regional and
international levels,
16
Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution Council
conclusions, 9 March 2006
RECOGNIZES that a mix of national, Community,
and international measures will be required to
deliver those objectives in a cost-effective way
and CALLS for better integration of air pollution
issues into agricultural, energy and transport
policies both at Community level and at national
level
http//ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/pdf/counc
il_concl_them_strategy.pdf
17
Transport related factors affecting health
Explore synergy of AQ policy with other actions
to reduce sector-specific health effects
18
Turning science and policy into regulations
19
COM (2005) 447 Proposal for a directive (Annex
XIV PM2.5)
WHO AQG 10 µg/m3
http//ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/pdf/com_2
005_447_en.pdf
20
Annual average PM10 concentrations observed in
selected cities worldwide
AQG level
21
PM10 concentration in selected cities of Asia
(annual mean 2005)
Source C. Huizenga, CAI-Asia
22
PM10 concentration in selected cities of Asia
(annual mean 2005)
WHO AQG Interim Target 3 30 µg/m3
Source C. Huizenga, CAI-Asia
23
PM10 concentration in selected cities of Asia
(annual mean 2005)
WHO AQG Interim Target 2 50 µg/m3
Source C. Huizenga, CAI-Asia
24
PM10 concentration in selected cities of Asia
(annual mean 2005)
WHO AQG Interim Target 1 70 µg/m3
Source C. Huizenga, CAI-Asia
25
Science and policy for global air quality
management Conclusions

• Science review essential part of the policy
  making Substantial part of it can be done
  globally
• Policy objectives needed for effective action on
  a local and international levels
• Feasibility and acceptance of actions needed to
  achieve the objectives are strong determinant of
  the decisions and regulatory actions
• Air pollution, and ist health effects, is a
  global problem. Its solution may require diverse
  management approaches, best fitted to the
  conditions in various regions.

Thank You