Celebration in Geneva marking 25 years of efforts to combat air pollution in Europe and North America

Bern, 23.11.2004 - A 70% reduction in sulphur emissions since 1980 and a drop of 25% in emissions of nitrogen oxides between 1990 and 2000 – over a period of 25 years, the UN/ECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution has made a significant contribution to improvements in air quality in Europe and North America. To celebrate these successes and define plans for the future, a special event is to be held for the Parties to the Convention in Geneva on 1 December 2004; the delegates will be welcomed by Philippe Roch, State Secretary, Director of SAEFL.

The Convention was adopted in Geneva on 13 November 1979 in order to combat acid rain and the acidification of lakes and forests, particularly in Scandinavia. It was implemented in Europe and North America under the aegis of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE). Although the emphasis was originally placed on pollutants that are harmful to the environment, the scope of the Convention has been progressively extended to include compounds that have a more direct impact on human health, such as ground-level ozone, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Substantial improvements in air quality have been made possible both in Europe and in North America through the entry into force of 7 protocols to the Convention. Since 1980, emissions of sulphur from industrial sources, coal- and oil-fired power stations, and refineries have thus been reduced by 70%. Between 1990 and 2000, emissions of nitrogen oxides were cut by 25% as a result of more stringent regulations on vehicle exhaust gases. Over the same period, limits on the lead content of petrol produced a reduction of 60–70% in emissions of this pollutant. Emissions of mercury and cadmium were also reduced, by 50% and 30–40% respectively, as a result of the decreased use of these substances in batteries, together with increased recycling rates. The UN/ECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution thus provides an example of effective international cooperation.

Air quality also improved in Switzerland

The Geneva Convention is the first international agreement to have introduced limit values for emissions of pollutants. Switzerland, a full member of the UN/ECE, has contributed in particular to the progressive adoption of increasingly strict limits on pollutant emissions. Thanks to these concerted efforts, air quality has also been improved in this country, with beneficial effects for the public and the environment – especially Switzerland’s forests. The Convention represents a key element of Swiss air pollution control policy.

Eastward expansion and climate protection

In the years ahead, the achievement of the environmental goals of the Convention will depend crucially on collaboration with North America and on support for the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia that have recently acceded to the Convention. A further challenge lies in the development of synergies between measures designed to control air pollution and those designed to mitigate climate change. Studies carried out within the framework of the Convention have indicated that measures such as improvements in energy efficiency or increased use of less-polluting fuels (e.g. natural gas instead of coal) should be promoted, as these would produce benefits in both areas.

The UN/ECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Geneva Convention)

The UN/ECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, also known as the Geneva Convention, has its origins in the detection by scientists in the 1960s of acid rain and acidification of Scandinavian lakes. The discovery of serious environmental degradation at sites remote from the original sources of emissions demonstrated that air pollutants could be transported over long distances, and that concerted efforts were required to combat their effects.

The Convention currently brings together 46 countries of Europe  and Central Asia, together with the United States, Canada and the European Community. It was signed in Geneva on 13 November 1979 and ratified by Switzerland in 1983. The Convention has been supplemented by 8 protocols (of which 7 have entered into force) aimed at progressively reducing air pollutants in Europe and North America:

  1. The Protocol on Long-term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP) (Geneva,1984)
  2. The Protocol on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30 per cent (Helsinki, 1985)
  3. The Protocol concerning the Control of Nitrogen Oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes (Sofia,1988)
  4. The Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes (Geneva, 1991)
  5. The Protocol on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions (Oslo, 1994)
  6. The Protocol on Heavy Metals (Aarhus, 1998)
  7. The Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (Aarhus, 1998)
  8. The Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg, 1999)

The eighth protocol sets limits for several pollutants, on the basis of their impacts on both health and ecosystems. It has been ratified to date by 12 countries and the European Community. In Switzerland, its ratification has already been approved by the Council of States, and the National Council is to decide on this matter in the near future. The protocol is expected to enter into force in 2005.


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