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EU Acidification Strategy

On 12^th March 1997, the European Commission adopted a proposal from the Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard on a European Union strategy to combat acidification. The strategy will, by 2010, reduce significantly the extent of the areas in the European Union where the tolerance of sensitive ecosystems to acidity is exceeded. The long-term objective is stated as no critical loads exceedances anywhere in Europe.

Main elements of the strategy include:

• establishment of national emission ceilings for acid rain pollutants to reduce emissions beyond existing commitments: The European Commission published its proposal for a National Emissions Ceilings Directive (NECD) & Daughter Directive (Ozone) in June 1999, to set National Emissions Ceilings for each EU Member State as the primary means of implementing the Acidification Strategy, and to make progress on the problem of ground-level ozone. The NECD sets ceilings for national emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to be attained by 2010. The NECD is the main instrument in delivering air quality targets for ambient ozone, which are included in the Commission's proposal for a Daughter Directive (see paragraph 209), also published in June 1999.

• the ratification of the UN protocol on further reductions of sulphur emissions ("2^nd sulphur Protocol", entered into force in 1998);

• proposal for a directive limiting the sulphur content of heavy fuel oils (The "Directive on the Sulphur Content of Certain Liquid Fuels" was adopted in April 1999 and must be transposed by Member States by 1 July 2000. The Directive sets maximum levels for the sulphur content of heavy fuel oil (HFO) of 1% from 2003 and for gas oil of 0.1% from 2008. This is expected to lead to a reduction of between 150-200 kt in annual UK emissions of sulphur dioxide from plants using these fuels. HFO is used in the UK as a refinery fuel and to a lesser extent in industrial boilers, power stations and furnaces. Gas oil is used in small industrial and domestic boilers, as a domestic heating fuel and as a light marine fuel.

• review of the large combustion plant directive (Dir. 88/609/EEC). In September 1998, the European Commission proposed an amendment to its 1988 Directive on Large Combustion Plants. This amendment aims to further reduce emissions of SOx, NOx and particles from new large combustion plants, mostly power stations, refinery boilers and large boilers in industry. The European Commission estimates that the proposed Directive would prevent the emission in EC countries of 1000 kt of sulphur dioxide, 4000 kt of nitrogen dioxide and 100 kt of particles over the period 2000-2010.

• designation of the Baltic Sea and the North sea as so-called sulphur dioxide control areas;

• promotion of cost-effective measures to reduce emissions in Central and Eastern European countries.

Current predictions indicate that the extent of affected areas in 2010 would, in the absence of the strategy, be 8.7 million hectares. With the strategy this figure will be reduced to 4.5 million hectares.

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