Acid-News-2020-4.Pdf
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NO.4, DECEMBER 2020 Global sulphur pollution decreasing In 2019, emissions of sulphur dioxide from large point sources decreased in all of the top three emitter countries – India, Russia and China. ► Page 4 Revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive for stronger climate action A bold energy efficiency policy is the precondition for successful climate action. ► Page 12 EU agriculture policy not in line with the Green Deal © LARS-ERIK HÅKANSSON LARS-ERIK © The current reform of the Common Agricultural Policy has been criticised for failing to live up to the Green Deal. ► Page 14 Air quality is slowly improving Better air quality in Europe has led to a Ocean acidification is poorly governed reduction in premature deaths over the past decade. The problems associated with and the solutions needed to ► Page 18 address OA are unique and cannot be bundled together Combustion-engine cars with traditional climate change responses and measures. need to be phased out in Ocean acidification OA( ) occurs as the complex ecological interactions between Europe by 2025 result of increased atmospheric CO₂ which organisms. In a global setting, ongoing is taken up by the oceans. About 30% and projected effects ofOA have been With a view to limiting global warming of the CO₂ that has been emitted to the extensively described in several IPCC to 1.5°C, internal-combustion-engine (diesel and petrol) cars need to be pha- atmosphere because of human activity reports and their summaries for policy sed out in Europe. has ended up in waterbodies. Reactions makers (e.g. IPCC, 20181, 20192). ► Page 24 between CO₂ and water eventually result It is obvious that OA “is a global problem in a higher concentration of hydrogen with profoundly negative environmental, Emissions from ships and ions – i.e. lowered pH – in the oceans. social and economic consequences”, as planes continue to rise Organisms in the oceans are adapted to stated in a recent review by Galdies and the pH conditions that prevailed in the co-authors3. This review specifically focuses Air and sea transport must reduce GHG seas prior to this human-driven acidifi- on the governance framework relating to emissions at the same rate as land trans- cation process. Calcifying organisms in OA, particularly in Europe. At the global port by 2040 at the latest in industria- particular are sensitive to acidification, kevel, OA is included in the Sustainable lised countries, and by 2050 globally. ► Page 27 but the physiology of many other organ- Development Goals (SDGs) of the United isms can be affected as well, as can the Nations. It is specifically mentioned in Life Page 3 From page 1 Editorial below the Water SDG, and target 14.3 says Climate change as a topic is included in (for the Mediterranean Sea), VECTORS A newsletter from the Air Pollution & Climate to “reduce acidification”. In Europe, the EU-wide steering documents and there are (with emphasis on biodiversity, fisheries, Secretariat, the primary aim of which is to European Environment Agency included hopes for significant upscaling of efforts to and aquaculture), MEESE (climate change provide information on air pollution and its Chilean presidency in December last effects on health and the environment. “The EU has the year. The Ocean and Climate Change OA in Europe’s “10 messages for 2010”. tackle climate change, for example through effects in the Mediterranean Sea, the chance to speak up Dialogue – much like the preparation But here comes the surprising part: the European Green Deal and the European Atlantic Ocean, and the Baltic Sea). Ad- Anyone interested in these matters is invited Despite the inclusion of OA in such Climate Law proposed by the EU Commis- ditionally, the German project BIOACID to contact the Secretariat. All requests for for the oceans” for the UN Ocean Conference – allows information or material will be dealt with to for online participation by NGOs and overarching policy documents, “EU-wide sion. Similarly, although a lot needs to be focused especially on the biological effects the best of our ability. Acid News is available other stakeholders. actions remain still incomprehensible and done, some countries have national climate of OA. Other projects, such as ATLANTOS free of charge. uncoordinated”, according to the review. plans and other frameworks for climate have focused on ocean observations, as The clock is We must also not forget the sixth In order to fulfil the purpose of Acid News, ticking to achieve the 1.5°C assessment cycle of the IPCC, which Furthermore, and as evidenced by the policies. However, measures specifically does COPERNICUS. To the list can also we need information from everywhere, so if goal of the Paris Agreement. To be clear will undoubtedly produce new scientific review’s analysis covering 90 (!) legislative designed to meet the challenge of OA are, be added research infrastructures for ex- you have read or heard about something that right from the start: this goal deserves documents from 17 European countries, as has been described, largely lacking. perimental work, such as AQUACOSM and might be of general interest, please write or evidence to further put pressure on the every effort that mankind can pull off. OA AQUACOSM send a copy to: intergovernmental processes of the UN. most countries make little reference to This is not a trivial issue. Even if the -plus4, which provide facilities In the name of realism, this is the goal NGOs and other stakeholders must pay in their legislative framework. The most abatement of climate change and the abate- for large-scale experiments on a number Air Pollution & Climate Secretariat we must focus on now, given the current noteworthy exception is Norway, with its ment of OA both require the mitigation of of environmental topics, including OA. Första Långgatan 18, 413 28 Göteborg, close attention to the UN processes and level of progress in reducing greenhouse CO Sweden take full advantage of the participatory reportedly strong framework to combat ₂, the effects of temperature rise (and The review concludes with a number Tel: +46 31 711 45 15 gases. However, damage to marine eco- mechanisms. Additionally, it is vitally OA. Some other countries, including associated effects) and acidification are of recommendations to policy makers E-mail: [email protected] systems will not be avoided even if we important to influence the agenda of Ireland, France, Spain and the UK, have not the same. (Although they do occur regarding OA in European waters. These Internet: www.airclim.org reach this goal1. In fact, damage already the nations within the UN processes. some level of reference to OA, allowing concurrently and there can be interactions.) include continued OA-focused research and occurs at current levels of warming, as EU them to address mitigation e.g. through As stated in the review: “The problems a European ocean resilience programme, Editor: Marko Reinikainen The has the chance to advocate evidenced by the bleaching of coral reefs2. sectoral policies and/or national strategies, associated with and the solutions needed transnational marine corridors, improved Assistant editors: Christer Ågren & for a paradigm shift from words to This may be an inconvenient truth when Reinhold Pape action. It is highly important that all yet with a lot of room for improvement. to address OA are unique and cannot be coordinated European-level governance Layout: Karin Didring our current goal is 1.5°C. Yet, it is what those stakeholders who want to achieve Among the EU-level policy instruments bundled together with traditional climate and national reporting (with reference to science is telling us3, or: it is what it is. real change actively ensure that initial that could be used as a framework for na- change responses and measures”. GES and the MSFD) that takes into account Printed by Trydells Tryckeri, Laholm, Sweden. There are two implications of this promising signals from the current EU tional policies to mitigate OA, the review The review particularly mentions Marine OA, and awareness raising both among ISSN 0281-5087. notion. The first, highly obvious implica- Commission are translated into decisive pointed out that “…national policies rarely Protected Areas (MPAs) as one of the policy makers and the general public. tion is that any excess warming beyond emphasised the overarching element of tools that could be used and designed The Air Pollution and Climate Secretariat actions in major policy programmes 1.5°C must be avoided to prevent further OA The Secretariat has a board consisting of one such as the 8th Environment Action the Marine Strategy Framework Direc- to tackle challenges associated with . Marko Reinikainen damage in the oceans, and to protect representative from each of the following Programme, the European Green Deal, tive (MSFD)”. This is interesting, as the MPAs that are properly assigned could other ecosystems as well. The second organisations: Friends of the Earth Sweden, and the sustainable Europe Strategy to MSFD could guide EU member states help to ensure refugia, build ecosystem 1. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/spm/ Nature and Youth Sweden, the Swedish So- implication is that we need to strongly implement the SDGs. These programmes to a more coordinated view on marine resilience, and promote the regeneration 2. https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/chapter/summary- ciety for Nature Conservation, and the World limit and whenever possible eliminate protection in general, and specifically of threatened ecosystems. for-policymakers/ Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Sweden. need to bring about real change, and they other sources of disturbance to the oceans. also regarding OA, in order to reach On a positive note, the review highlights The essential aim of the Secretariat is to need to carry over to the global arena. 3. Galdies, C. et al.