Assessing interim objectives for acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone of the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive with 2001 and 2012 knowledge

Abstract The National Emission Ceilings Directive regulating European Union (EU) Member State emissions of acidifying and eutrophying pollutants as well as ozone precursors was adopted in 2001. Its interim environmental objectives, to be achieved in 2010, consist of a reduction of the exceedance of critical loads for acidification and eutrophication and of critical levels of ground-level ozone relative to 1990. Objectives for acidification and ground-level ozone were to be met in every single receptor grid cell in the European Union. For eutrophication, however, the target was to be met only for the EU area as a whole. Since 2001, reported emissions for 1990 and 2010 as well as knowledge and methodologies and for computing atmospheric dispersion and critical loads and levels have changed. In this paper, it is shown that acidification and eutrophication objectives are largely met when assessing them with the knowledge of 2001. However, with 2012 knowledge the interim objectives for acidification and eutrophication are not met in most of the EU. The objectives for ground-level ozone are met in most EU Member States with both 2001 and present (2012) knowledge, with the exception of the objective for forests, which was still not met in most Member States in 2010. Therefore, it seems prudent that science is employed also in the implementation phase of policy agreements.