Great Britain vs. Estonia

 It is world renowned that UK is one of the most involved countries in the entire discussion about climate change. This could be due to some kind of guilt that British Governments were experimenting after the Industrial Revolution who seems to be the event that triggered the increase of CO2 and the other GHG. However, apparently in present, the air quality in UK is the best since 1850 or this is what a governmental report from 2007 says. Despite of this report, some voices spread the idea that the present levels of atmospheric pollution may reduce the life expectancy with 6 months, fact that could have a negative effect on economy because the costs in health care that are estimated at  £20 billion a year.

  
 One of the most stringent problems for UK is represented by air pollution, pollution which is measure by indicators like: particulate matter (PM 10), NO2 and tropospheric Ozone. According to EEA report from 2010 about UK, the target for PM10 for 2004 was that mean values in 24 hours should not be above 50µg/m3 more than 35 times/ year. However the aim was not achieved because in 6 sites values ran above the target mean. 

Annual mean background PM10 concentration, 2008 (µg m-3, gravimetric) Source: http://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/gb/eu/annualair/envsryunq/ukmaps2008.doc/manage_document

 For both, PM10 and NO2 concentrations, the main sources of pollution with these two pollutants are represented by major roads. The map below shows that maximum concentrations are around the important industrial centers or important cities (e.g. London with a value above 60µg/m^-3.

Urban major urban roads, annual mean roadside NO₂ concentration, 2008, µg m^-3. Source: http://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/gb/eu/annualair/envsryunq/ukmaps2008.doc/manage_document

 Information about the strategy of air quality in UK here.

 Climate change is a reality and it is obviously related to air pollution. Even though its effects are not so noticeable in all areas, some of them are already felt globally and there are noticeable efforts made by governments for the stability of atmospheric GHG emissions and  adaptation to the new climate. 

 For UK, these climate trends are exemplified by an increase:

• of CET (central England temperature) with 1ºC since1980;
•   in the frequency of  sever windstorms;
• of sea level with 1mm/year in the 20^th century and 3mm/year in the ’90 decade;
• in winter rainfall from heavy precipitation events.

 The EEA report based on the UK ClimateProjections (UCK09), sums up that average UK summer temperature is likely to rise by 3-4°C by the 2080s, Average summer rainfall across the UK may decrease by 11 per cent to 27 per cent by the 2080s, sea levels are expected to rise, extreme weather events are likely to become more common.

 On the other hand there is Estonia, a less developed European country who struggles with all the international environmental issues. Regarding the NO2 emissions, the concentrations measured at urban monitoring stations show a decrease in the last years and are below the European mean. The principal cause of this is the introduction of catalytic converters on cars.

 NO₂ annual mean concentrations, urban stations. Source: http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/countries/

 On the O3 issue, Estonia records higher values in concentrations at background stations than at urban stations. However, in 2008, at the Lahemaa background monitoring station there were registered 11 overruns for the EU’s target for 8 hours, parameter which has serious implications in population health. 

 As far as we know, the pollution in air can come from different particles such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. For Estonia the red point for PM10 seems to be Tallin, where the main sources of the PM10 emissions in the center of the city apparently are fuel burning in vehicle engines, especially diesel; road abrasion; automobile tire and brake wear and also some construction works. 

All of the Baltic States, adopted the same strategy in the climate change issue, with very similar policies and similar measures to regulate GHG emissions. These States, including Estonia, have participated at EU EST , the EU emission trading scheme and even hosted a few events under the Activities Implemented Jointly programme (AIJ).  For these 3 countries, the policies of reduction the GHG were implemented mainly for gaining access in the EU.

The categories were mentioned in “Climate change mitigation policies in energy sector of Baltic States” and they are: 

• pollution taxes and ecological tax reform;
• feed-in prices for electricity produced from renewable energy sources;
• feed-in prices for electricity produced by combined heat and power (CHP);
• measures to increase energy efficiency;
• emissions trading scheme (EU ETS);
• green tradable certificates (GTC).

 Estonia implemented a CO2 tax in 2005 because of the huge amount of CO2 emissions which came from energy. It is known that in this country, the main raw material used for energy is oil shale. The oil shale is a kind of coal but with a lower caloric energy and a higher ability to pollute the air.

 Here is a very interesting site where you can 'play' with and find some more about pollution in different parts of Europe.