Future Nordic Collaboration On Air Pollution Workshop In Oslo 19 20 November 2019 Organised By The Nordic Working Group For Climate And Air Nkl

Online publication: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2020-518/ Abstract [en] The Nordic Working Group for Climate and Air (NKL) organised 19-20 November 2019 a workshop with the objective to outline its future directions and priorities within the field of air pollution. The new Programme for Nordic co-operation on the Environment and Climate 2019-2024 formed the basis for the discussions at the workshop. A conclusion from the workshop is that Nordic collaboration still is important for the development of common air pollution strategies both for direct collaboration between the countries and for taking common initiatives within international fora such as the Air Convention and the EU. The workshop report includes a list of project ideas to be considered by NKL. Health effects and role of air pollution in fulfilling the SDGs were given priority.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2022-508/ A group of Nordic air quality researchers organised 10-11th of June 2020 a web-conference on Nordic air quality research for civil servants and the general audience. The name of the conference was Air Quality For All - A Nordic air quality conference (AQ4ALL), and it included an overview of research from three air quality research programmes with active Nordic participation. Presentations were made by researchers from the Swedish Clean Air and Climate (SCAC) research programme, the Nordic-WelfAir (NWA) research project, as well as the EU-funded project Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic (EUA-BCA). The following themes were discussed: • Air quality effects on the Nordic welfare system, • Nordic air pollution and the Arctic climate – effects and solutions, • Air pollution effects on public health and the environment This report gives an overview of the key messages from the projects.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2023-047/ The aim of the Nor-FORCeS project “Integrating Nordic air quality and climate policies using FORCEeS” was to investigate to what extent aerosol particles and greenhouse gases contribute to climate warming in the context of the Nordic emission picture. This knowledge is necessary to meet the Paris Agreement while simultaneously addressing harmful air pollution. The project has been executed by a Nordic research team from @Stockholm University, @Finnish MeteorologicaI Institute, @CICERO and @Aarhus University and supported by grants from the Nordic Council of Ministers’ working group for Climate and Air (NKL).

Air pollution is a global threat that requires international collaboration and coordinated actions for its solution. Several international organisations have highlighted the problem and are taking action. In order to meet future challenges and develop collaboration, an international workshop was held in Göteborg 19-21 March 2018. It was the 6th in the series of the so called “Saltsjöbaden workshops” and was attended by approx. 180 participants and 20 international organisations. It was organised by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute with support from the Nordic Council of Ministers and in close collaboration with and support from the UNECE Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. The workshop ended in a set of recommendations directed to actors and processes in order to facilitate and intensify future work.

Nordic Ministers of Environment adopted in March 2012 the "Svalbard Declaration" with decisions to reduce the negative impacts of the climate changes and air pollution caused by the emission of the so-called Short-lived Climate Forcers (SLCFs) such as black carbon (soot) and methane. Along with CO2, they are the main reasons why the ice in the Arctic now is melting rapidly. At a workshop organised by the Nordic Group on Climate and Air Quality in June 2012 researchers and policy-makers discussed the recent scientific findings, the national experiences with emission inventories, identification of cost-effective measures to cut emissions and the drawing up of national action plans as well as the development in the field of international co-operation on SLCFs. The report presents policy recommendations, conclusions and recommendations on scientific research and monitoring.

The Paris Agreement aims to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels (and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C), but does not refer specifically to greenhouse gas emissions from the international maritime transport sector. This Report outlines the findings of a project commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers, focusing on opportunities for Nordic countries to achieve a transition to low-carbon shipping at national, regional and global scales. It is informed by discussions at the World Maritime University in Malmö in December 2016 between representatives of governments, businesses, NGOs and the research community. The Report presents a low-carbon roadmap for shipping with actions and outcomes concerning low-carbon technology, ship operations, finance, public policy, and public-private partnerships.

24-26 June 2013, 130 leading international policy makers, scientists, experts and others met at an international workshop in Gothenburg, Sweden, in order to discuss and outline future directions in air pollution science and policy. The workshop, which was organised in close collaboration with the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and the European Commission, involved several themes such as linkages to climate change including SLCP, nitrogen, global governance and effects to health and environment. The output is a series of recommendations for further actions with respect to effects to health, ecosystems and near-term climate actions. Recommendations were also given with respect to heavy metals and POPs. The recommendations are directed towards several international organisations and initiatives such as CLRTAP, European Commission, Climate and Clean Air Coalition and the Arctic Council.