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The UK Air Pollution Impacts on Ecosystems Networks (APIENs) was formed in 2018 to meet UK obligations to monitor and report on the negative impacts of air pollution on sensitive ecosystems under the National Emissions reduction Commitments Directive.

The NECD set ambitious Emission Reduction Commitments for five key air pollutants (NH3, NOx, SO2, NMVOCs and PM2.5) for 2020 and 2030 to minimize their negative impacts on human health and the environment. Under Article 9 of the Directive, Member States are required to monitor the negative impacts of air pollution (acidification, eutrophication, ozone damage and biodiversity loss). Under Article 10 (4), Member States are required to report the following information referred to in Article 9 to the Commission and the European Environment Agency:

(a) by 1 July 2018 and every four years thereafter, the location of the monitoring sites and the associated indicators used for monitoring air pollution impacts; and

(b) by 1 July 2019 and every four years thereafter, the monitoring data referred to in Article 9.

The NECD was transposed into the UK National Emissions Ceilings Regulations (NECR) 2018. The duty to monitor the negative impacts of air pollution across the UK is set out in Part 5. APIENs meets the criteria that the impacts assessment should be based on a network of monitoring sites that is representative of UK freshwater, natural and semi-natural habitats and forest ecosystem types, taking a cost-effective and risk-based approach.

First Reporting – to EU

1 July 2018: The First Report on the network of impact monitoring sites and indicators from the UK APIENs was submitted in the National Emissions reduction Commitments (NEC) Directive Article 9 reporting template to the Eionet Central Data Repository of the European Environment Agency.

A Revised Submission with updated site information was made in June 2019, prior to submitting data.

1 July 2019: The First Data Report on impact monitoring data from the UK APIENs was submitted to the Eionet Central Data Repository in the revised reporting template. This first report submitted UK monitoring data from 2017, or most recently available data, where available.  

A Revised Data Submission was made in December 2019, with corrections for minor data reporting errors (some data reported in wrong columns and missing data).

Consultant reports on the first submissions on ecosystem networks and data are available: 2018 national ecosystem monitoring networks and 2019 national monitoring data.

Second Reporting – to UK

Following EU exit, reporting will take place under the UK NEC Regulations 2018 Part 5, which adopted the same 4 year reporting period as set out in the NECD. The reporting template is based on that used for the NECD (most recent version is February 2022), to allow comparability of data from the UK with the rest of Europe.
• To report by 1 July 2022 and every four years thereafter, to the UK Secretary of State, the location of the monitoring sites and the associated indicators used for monitoring air pollution impacts (NECR Part 5).
• To report by 1 July 2023 and every four years thereafter, to the UK Secretary of State, the monitoring data referred to in NECR Part 5.

1 July 2022: The second report on the network of impact monitoring sites and indicators from the UK APIENs is now available, using the latest NECD Article 9 reporting template. The reporting comprise of an excel file on Monitoring Sites & Indicators, accompanied by Supporting Documentation.

1 July 2023: The next Data Report on the network of impact monitoring sites and indicators from the UK APIENs is now available. The reporting comprise of an excel file on Monitoring Sites & Indicators.

Use of data

  • Monitor and provide knowledge on the impacts of air pollution on ecosystems (acidification, eutrophication and ground level ozone damage);
  • Assess changes and potential recovery in ecosystem responses to emissions reductions of air pollutants under the NECD;
  • Contribute to review of critical loads and levels
  • Contribute to the evaluation of the sufficiency and effectiveness of air pollution abatement policies.

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