(04 June 2013) – Europe’s largest environment conference kicks off today under the banner “Cleaner Air for All”. This year’s edition of Green Week will see some 3000 participants gather for three days to discuss air-related issues. The week also features the Best LIFE Nature and Best LIFE Environment award ceremony.
Stakeholders, NGOs, government representatives and EU officials will search for solutions to air pollution, like how to safeguard air quality against the backdrop of rising industrial and energy production, the rise in road traffic and urbanisation, the burning of fossil fuels, and climate change. All sessions are streamed live on the internet.
Over the course of the year the Commission’s current air policy is being reviewed, with a focus on finding ways to improve the quality of the air we breathe. Despite good progress in recent years, several air quality standards are still widely exceeded in the EU’s most densely populated areas, especially from pollutants such as particulate matter, ground-level ozone, and nitrogen dioxide.
In the autumn, the review will deliver a revised strategy for EU Air Policy, including new or confirmed objectives for 2020 and beyond, together with a list of key initiatives and instruments to reach them.