Air Clean-Up Deep Emission Cuts Give the EU a Head Start Under the Kyoto Protocol


A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that large drop in emissions seen in 2008 and 2009 gives EU-15 a head start to reach and even overachieve its 8 % reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol. Austria, Denmark and Italy, however, need to step up their current efforts until 2012 to ensure that their contribution to the common EU-15 target is delivered. The EEA report also shows that EU-27 is well on track towards achieving its 20 % reduction target by 2020.


The EEA report ‘Tracking progress towards Kyoto and 2020 targets’ presents an overview of the progress actually seen in 2008 (and 2009 where data are available) in European countries towards their respective targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Based on aggregated emission projections at EU level, the report also presents an assessment of projected progress of the EU-15 towards its 8 % reduction commitment and of the EU-27 towards its 20 % reduction target by 2020.


’We cannot afford to wait until after the end of the Kyoto period to start implementing policies targeting sectors not covered by the EU ETS, such as transport and residential heating. These sectors are crucial for the EU targets set for 2020,’ said Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the EEA.


Key findings: •When looking at 2008 and 2009, the two first years of the Kyoto commitment period, the EU-15 appears to be well on track towards achieving its commitment of reducing emissions by 8 % compared


to base-year levels. Together, the EU-15 countries are estimated to have reduced their average annual emissions over these two years by more than 250 million tonnes CO2 equivalent beyond the reductions needed for achieving their common Kyoto target. This puts EU-15 collectively 5.9 % below the 8 % Kyoto reduction target. The figures take into account the planned use of the Kyoto Protocol’s flexible mechanisms by governments (2.7 % of base-year emissions) and the expected sequestration of atmospheric carbon due to forestry activities (1.0 % of base-year emissions). However, failure by any EU-15 Member State to achieve its own burden-sharing target could jeopardise the possibility for the EU-15 to achieve its common target.


•Current emission levels and projections show that the EU is well on track towards achieving its 2020 reduction target of 20 % with emission reductions achieved in the EU territories only, provided that Member States fully implement the Climate and Energy package adopted in 2009. Recent estimates by the EEA also confirm this downward trend, with the EU-27’s 2009 emissions expected to stand 17.3 % below their 1990 level.


•Based on their 2008 emission levels, almost all European countries with a Kyoto target were on track to meet their individual targets. However, three EU Member States (Austria, Denmark and Italy), two other EEA countries (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) and one EU candidate country (Croatia) need to step up their efforts before 2012 to be able to meet their targets.


•Because the allocation of emission allowances to the EU ETS is already decided upon for the full period 2008–2012, reducing emissions in the sectors not covered by the EU ETS – such as transport, residential heating, agriculture or waste – are necessary for achieving the Kyoto targets.


•The economic crisis largely contributed to the drop in total EU-27 greenhouse gas emissions in 2009 compared to 2008 (by 6.9 % according to EEA estimates), but its impact was felt less significantly in the sectors not included in the EU ETS (– 3.3%) than in the sectors included (– 11.7%). Return to economic growth could temporarily level off or even reverse the decline in emissions, but the declining trend is expected to continue.


Reader Reply Card No 68


China’s Air Quality Drops Due to Car Emissions


The air quality of China’s cities has dropped as a result of emissions produced by cars, it has been suggested. According to a recent government report, a third of 113 cities in the Asian country failed national air quality targets last year.


The ministry of environmental protection has said that this coincides with an increase in the number


of motor vehicles, rising by 9.3 per cent year-on-year to 170 million. "All the problems are closely related to vehicle exhaust emissions," the report stated. Figures revealed that while auto sales hit 13.64 million units in 2009, emissions from vehicles reached more than 51 million tonnes. This includes more than 40 million tonnes of carbon monoxide, five million tonnes of hydrocarbons, as well as six million tonnes of nitrogen oxide.


The increase in pollution comes after Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau revealed that air quality in the city had improved earlier this summer, with the Shanghai Daily reporting that there was a reduction in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, as well as other air pollutants.


Reader Reply Card No 69


Odour Control Process for Prestigious King Abdullah University in Saudi Arabia


ACWA AIR (UK) has recently completed the design and construction of a large Odour Control Plant for a new Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) at the new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). This internationally significant and prestigious project is currently under construction along the Red Sea coast of Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).


KAUST is to be established as a research-based university, dedicated to inspiring a new age of scientific achievement. As an independent merit based institution, the university will employ many of the best practices from leading researchers around the world, working together to solve challenging scientific and technological issues of the day. Concentrating on environmental research the site will incorporate a number of innovative facilities, including a covered reef ecosystem, preserved as a marine sanctuary.


30,000m3


The new ACWA AIR Odour Control System is designed to remove and treat up to /hour of foul air extracted from a new Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP)


supplied by ACWA Emirates LLC.


In operation, the foul smelling air, containing H2S, Mercaptans, VOC and Dimethyl Sulphide, is extracted through ducting from various locations throughout the WWTP - using induced draft fans, to maintain negative pressure in the system. The ductwork directs foul air into a highly efficient ACWA AIR biotechnological odour control process without leakages. The foul smelling gases are passed through a large Bio-scrubber and Active Carbon Filters, achieving more than 99.9% odour removal, before being discharged to atmosphere through a high level stack.


Due to logistical expediency, the Active Carbon Filters were produced by a local fabricator in Dammam, KSA and the bio-scrubber fabricated in the


UAE. All Project Management Services for the contract were provided by ACWA AIR from its head office in Skipton, UK, where subcontractors from the UK, USA, KSA and UAE were strictly assessed and qualified through the company’s strict quality assurance procedures.


Reader Reply Card No 71 Reader Reply Card No 70


18


www.pollutionsolutions-online.com • Annual Buyers’ Guide 2011


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52