[Micro-lecture on environmental protection] What are the inspirations of air control in developed countries？
Authors: Zhang Yuanhang (Professor Peking University) and Wang Jinnan (Researcher, Institute of Environmental Planning, Ministry of Environmental Protection)
Frequent regional heavy pollution, decreased atmospheric visibility and substandard air quality in most cities have become the most serious environmental problems facing China. Western developed countries have also experienced serious air pollution incidents in the process of industrialization. Through a lot of scientific exploration and continuous treatment practice, these pollution problems have been gradually effectively controlled, which provides reference for China to carry out air pollution control and accelerate air quality improvement.
Developed countries have experienced a long and arduous course of air pollution prevention and control, and it takes about 30-40 years of hard work from the peak of pollution to the air quality standard.
Judging from the history of air pollution in developed countries, serious pollution incidents have directly accelerated the process of air pollution control.
Europe
Air pollution control in Europe began with the smog incident in London, England in 1952. Since then, from soot pollution to cross-border transportation of acid rain and pollutants, Europe has adopted strategies such as energy substitution and total reduction control. Until the 1980s, traditional air pollution was basically controlled.
United States of America
The air pollution control in the United States originated from the photochemical smog incident in Los Angeles in 1950s, and successively promulgated the Air Pollution Control Act, the Clean Air Act and the Interstate Clean Air Regulations to solve the problem of O3 and PM 2.5 pollution near the ground. After more than 40 years of comprehensive treatment, the pollution of O3 and PM2.5 in the United States has been greatly reduced, but some areas still cannot meet the national air quality standards.
Japan
Air pollution control in Japan originated from the surge in the number of patients suffering from asthma diseases near petrochemical plants in 1960. Since the government promulgated the Air Pollution Control Law in 1968, after more than 30 years of efforts, Japan’s air quality has been significantly improved. However, it is difficult to meet the standard of PM2.5 in the central urban areas of big cities.
Ambient air quality standards and pollutant discharge standards are the core of air pollution prevention and control system, and protecting public health is the main consideration for the gradual upgrading of standards.
The international community generally attaches importance to the research and prevention of pollutants such as particulate matter, and gradually adjusts and tightens the concentration limit of pollutants in the standard based on the impact on human health.
United States of America
In 1987 and 1997, the United States formulated national air quality standards for PM10 and PM2.5 respectively.
EU
Since 1980, the European Union has gradually promulgated the concentration limits and recommended values of some pollutants, and revised and updated them constantly.
China
China promulgated and implemented the first ambient air quality standard — Atmospheric Environmental Quality Standard (GB3095-82) was revised four times, and a new ambient air quality standard was issued in 2012. In order to achieve air quality standards, it is necessary to further tighten industrial pollutant emission standards, including motor vehicle emission standards.
Implementing coordinated control of multi-pollutants and multi-pollution sources is an effective way to reduce the concentration of particulate matter in the air and improve air quality in an all-round way.
The sources of PM2.5 in the atmosphere include not only smoke dust, dust and soil dust directly discharged, but also secondary particles generated by various precursors.
The experience of developed countries such as Europe and America shows that to effectively reduce the concentration of PM2.5 in the ambient air, it is necessary to simultaneously control the emissions of pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and ammonia. The Gothenburg Agreement signed by European Union member countries and Central and Eastern European countries and a series of laws or plans promulgated by the United States have strictly controlled the emission of particulate matter and its precursors.
In order to meet the requirements of urban air quality standards in China, it is urgent to establish a comprehensive coordinated control system with multiple pollution sources and pollutants.
It is an important guarantee to improve the quality of regional atmospheric environment to establish a comprehensive management of regional air quality and a coordination mechanism for joint prevention and control of regional pollution.
The prevention and control of air pollution in Europe, America and Japan have experienced the course of "enterprise pollution-local pollution-urban pollution-regional pollution". The experience of air quality management in Europe and America shows that the improvement of regional air quality must rely on strong regional air pollution coordination and control capabilities. The integrated pollution control framework of the European Union and a series of relevant regulations or plans of the United States are all successful models of regional air quality management.
With the rapid development of urbanization and industrialization, the regional compound characteristics of air pollution in China are increasingly prominent, and the environmental management system based on territorial management is not conducive to solving the regional air pollution problem. The air quality assurance work of Beijing Olympic Games, Guangzhou Asian Games and Shanghai World Expo has been successful, which has laid a good foundation for the establishment of regional joint prevention and control mechanism in China.
The adjustment of energy structure and economic structure is the most direct, effective and fundamental way to reduce pollutant emissions, and the "exit" of coal from cities is a necessary condition to realize clean air in cities.
The history of air pollution control in developed countries is itself a history of clean energy. In order to reduce soot pollution caused by coal burning,
Europe
European countries have taken measures to replace coal with gas, and the primary particulate matter emissions have dropped significantly.
United States of America
By adjusting the energy structure, reducing the use of coal and increasing the consumption of natural gas, the emissions of PM10 and PM2.5 have greatly decreased in the United States.
China
China is a big country in energy production and consumption in the world, and the composition of energy consumption is still dominated by coal. Coupled with the problems of unbalanced spatial distribution, unreasonable consumption structure and low level of clean and efficient utilization, the air pollution in regions and cities has been aggravated to some extent. Therefore, it is the key to fundamentally solve China’s air pollution, change the energy consumption structure and clean energy.
Traffic pollution control plays a key role in promoting air quality standards, and promoting motor vehicle technology upgrading and fuel cleanliness by tightening emission standards.
Vehicle emission is the fastest growing air pollution source at present.
EU
The European Union has significantly reduced vehicle emissions by formulating vehicle emission standards, fuel quality directives, developing a sustainable transportation system, and using economic means.
United States of America
The United States has formulated a comprehensive motor vehicle pollution control plan, including regularly updating health-based air quality standards, strict technical requirements and oil quality control, and implementing fuel management standards before vehicle management standards, so as to maximize emission reduction.
Japan
In 2002, Japan added the particle concentration limit to the vehicle exhaust emission standard.
Canada
Since 2001, Canada has formulated a series of laws and regulations to control the pollution caused by the transportation industry.
China
The number of motor vehicles in China is increasing rapidly with the economic development. In order to effectively control the pollution from mobile sources, it is necessary to formulate comprehensive countermeasures against "oil-vehicle-road" from the perspectives of mobile source management, vehicle energy and urban planning, establish a sustainable urban public transport system, optimize traffic management and reduce pollutant emissions.