EUROPEAN GROUPS SPELL OUT EMISSIONS TARGETS

Nov. 20, 1995
The European Commission (EC), European Oil Industry Association (Europia), and European Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association have chosen nitrogen oxides as the key target in reducing vehicle emissions beyond 2000. Europia said Europe's air quality will improve dramatically up to 2000 because of legislation to cut sulfur content of fuels that takes effect next year.

The European Commission (EC), European Oil Industry Association (Europia), and European Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association have chosen nitrogen oxides as the key target in reducing vehicle emissions beyond 2000.

Europia said Europe's air quality will improve dramatically up to 2000 because of legislation to cut sulfur content of fuels that takes effect next year.

"After 2000," Europia said, "the major air quality problem in urban areas will be levels of NOx. Urban NOx is responsible for many respiratory problems. Other urban pollutants which are of concern today, such as carbon monoxide or benzene, will be addressed effectively by measures in place today."

Those findings appear in a report resulting from the three organizations' European Auto-Oil Program, an 8 million ($12 million) research program launched last year in pursuit of lasting air quality improvements (OGJ, Nov. 7, 1994, p. 40).

EC chose reduction of NOx as the driver behind a selection of measures to be legislated for 2000, said Europia. For every 10% reduction in NOx emissions, there is expected to be an associated reduction of 12-15% in carbon monoxide emissions, 9- 13% in hydrocarbons, 12-15% in benzene, and 1011% in particulates.

URBAN POLLUTION

About 10% of Europe's cities are said to require 50-55% reductions in NOx emissions to meet World Health Organization air quality standards. EC reckons meeting these targets will cost 9.6 billion ECUs ($12.5 billion) during 15 years.

Europe's other cities will require a 5-40% reduction in NOx emissions to meet the WHO benchmark. To meet this, EC calculates a total outlay of 1.6 billion ECUs ($2.1 billion) will be required during 15 years.

Europia said the only rational way to reduce NOx emissions in line with targets in EC directives is to aim to reduce NOx levels by 5-40% in 90% of less polluted European cities.

Measures including fleet replacement and improved public transport are thought necessary to reduce NOx levels in the worst 10% of cities: "For instance, almost 50% of NOx emissions from vehicles in Athens as far in the future as 2010 will still emanate from vehicles purchased before 1993."

However, Europia said, EC is likely to attempt a halfway house solution in which a cost effectiveness ranking of all possible measures to reduce NOx will be used in all cities in Europe.

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