The European Commission is holding a public consultation on the best way to improve air quality in Europe. For the next twelve weeks, interested parties are invited to share their views on ways to ensure full implementation of the existing framework, to improve it, and to complement it with supporting actions. The results of the consultation will feed into a comprehensive review of Europe’s air policies due in 2013. The consultation is open until 4 March 2013.

Air pollution and the associated threats to the environment and human health continue to be a concern for many EU citizens. Despite progress in the past decades resulting from legislation to reduce harmful pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and benzene, some pollutants are still causing problems. Summer smog, potentially harmful ground-level ozone and fine particles that pose significant health risks regularly exceed safe limits. Consequently, exposure to air pollution still causes over 350,000 premature deaths in the EU every year.

The consultation is divided into two parts – a short questionnaire for the general public, and a more extensive set of questions for experts and practitioners from national administrations, regional and local authorities, researchers, businesses, stakeholders, health, environmental and other groups with experience in implementing EU air quality legislation.

via Environment: Give your opinion on how to improve EU air quality policy – The Information Daily.com.