Ozone levels boost case for emission cuts

Date: 07/10/1999

By Gareth Harding

THE number of EU citizens exposed to dangerous levels of ozone remains disturbingly high and shows no signs of dipping, according to the latest figures compiled by the European Commission.

The statistics for this summer show that the limits set by the Union on ground-level ozone, which causes smog and aggravates respiratory problems, were breached in all member states except Ireland, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

In countries such as France, Germany, Spain and the UK, the limits were exceeded at least once over the summer, with some member states breaking through the ceiling repeatedly.

However, there is some good news for Europe's city dwellers. Despite one of the hottest summer's on record, the level of ozone which requires national authorities to warn the population of a risk to health was not reached once until August and peak values in central Europe fell slightly.

The European Commission will use the latest figures as ammunition in its fight for strict national emissions ceilings on the four gases which cause smog and acid rain. In June, the institution published ambitious proposals aimed at cutting EU-wide emissions of sulphur dioxide by 78%, volatile organic compounds by 60%, oxides of nitrogen by 55% and ammonia by 21% by 2010. It also unveiled plans to set new limit values for ozone.

Launching 'European car-free day' last month, Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström said she hoped that the two texts would be adopted soon.

But Finland, which currently holds the EU presidency, is not setting its sights too high and has given up any hope of getting governments to reach broad agreement on the proposals by December. "This is a complicated and highly political dossier," said one official, adding: "If you are going to eat an elephant, you have to eat it piece by piece."

EU governments have so far kept their cards close to their chest, but Helsinki is hoping that a public debate on the two proposals when environment ministers meet next week will force them to reveal their hand.

The discussion at the meeting next Monday (11 October) is likely to reveal a classic north-south split between countries such as Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands, which support the ambitious emissions ceilings proposed by the Commission, and member states such as France and Spain, which fear that the estimated annual €7-billion price-tag for complying with the new measures would be crippling for industry.

The Commission and environmental groups fear that EU member states will not go beyond a United Nation-brokered deal to reduce the four key pollutants agreed in Geneva last month - and that concern appears to be justified. "Nobody thinks it wise to go further than Geneva," said one diplomat.

The number of EU citizens exposed to dangerous levels of ozone remains disturbingly high and shows no signs of dipping, according to the latest figures compiled by the European Commission.