Activities of Javi LÓPEZ related to 2020/2091(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Implementation of the Ambient Air Quality Directives (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the implementation of the Ambient Air Quality Directives: Directive 2004/107/EC and Directive 2008/50/EC
Amendments (49)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
- having regard to the Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the second clean air outlook (COM(2021)3final),
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the most recent EEA estimates of the health impacts attributable to exposure to air pollution indicate that in 2018 particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) concentrations were responsible for about 379 000 premature deaths originating from long-term exposure in the EU-28; whereas the estimated impacts in the EU of exposure to NO2 and O3 concentrations in 2018 were around 54 000 and 19 400 premature deaths per year respectively1a; _________________ 1a ‘Air quality in Europe - 2020’, Report No. 09/20, European Environment Agency, 2020.
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
B b. whereas there is evidence that exposure to air pollution could affect health outcomes of COVID-19, principally through damage to the respiratory and immune system and the expression of proteins that enable the virus to enter cells;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
B d. whereas high levels of O3 damage plant cells, impairing plants' reproduction and growth, thereby reducing agricultural crop yields, forest growth and biodiversity; whereas changing climatic conditions and the increase in emissions of carbon dioxide(CO2) and other pollutants, such as reactive nitrogen, modify the responses of vegetation to O3; whereas these modifiers influence the amount of O3 taken up by leaves, thus altering the magnitude of effects on plant growth, crop yields and ecosystem services;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B e (new)
Recital B e (new)
B e. whereas the deposition of nitrogen compounds, emitted to the air as nitrogen oxides (NOx)and ammonia (NH3), can cause eutrophication, an oversupply of nutrients; whereas similarly to sulphur compounds, nitrogen compounds also have acidifying effects; whereas both eutrophication and acidification can affect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and may lead to changes in species diversity and invasions by new species; whereas acidification may also lead to increased mobilisation of toxic metals in water or soils, which increases the risk of uptake in the food chain;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B f (new)
Recital B f (new)
B f. whereas toxic metal pollutants, such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd), can cause harmful effects in plants and animals, in addition to humans and although their atmospheric concentrations may be low, they still contribute to the deposition and build-up of toxic metals in soils, sediments and organisms; whereas toxic metals, and persistent organic compounds (POPs), in addition to their environmental toxicity, tend to bioaccumulate in animals and plants and to biomagnify, implying that concentrations in the tissues of organisms increase at successively higher levels in the food chain;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B g (new)
Recital B g (new)
B g. whereas urban population is the most exposed to air pollution, and only one person in ten lives in a city that complies with the World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines1a; whereas nowadays urban and peri-urban areas account for 75% of the EU’s population1b; _________________ 1a‘Ambient air pollution: A global assessment of exposure and burden of disease’, World Health Organization, 2016 1b‘Red Cities - Our vision for fair and sustainable city development’, Party of European Socialists, 2021
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B h (new)
Recital B h (new)
B h. whereas road traffic is the major source responsible for air pollution in urban areas because of the emissions from vehicles with internal combustion engines (exhaust traffic related emissions), and also brake and tyre wear (non-exhaust traffic related emissions); whereas the 2020 Air Quality Report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) estimated that road transport continued to be the primary source of NOx emissions in theEU-28 in 2018, representing around 40 % of total EU NOx emissions; whereas, in particular, diesel vehicles are responsible for around 75% of the total air pollution costs related to road transport in the Union;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B i (new)
Recital B i (new)
B i. whereas the cost of air pollution to society, health and economic activities in Europe amounts to between €330 and 940 billion per year as a whole, but the cost of all measures that result in air quality improvements amounts to €70 to 80 billion per year1a; whereas the cost of inaction, with the harmful impacts of air pollution on citizens health, the economy and society, exceeds by far the cost of action, involving various policy measures; _________________ 1a‘EU policy on air quality: implementation of selected legislation’, European Parliamentary Research Service, 2021, page 26
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B j (new)
Recital B j (new)
B j. whereas agriculture is the third biggest source of primary PM10 emissions in the EU, as stressed by the European Environment Agency; whereas ammonia (NH3) emissions from agriculture contribute to episodes of high PM concentrations experienced across Europe each spring, as well as to both short- and long-term negative health impacts1a; _________________ 1ahttps://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and- maps/indicators/emissions-of-primary- particles-and-5/assessment-3
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B k (new)
Recital B k (new)
B k. whereas methane emissions from agriculture are an important precursor to ground-level ozone, which has adverse effects on human health; whereas 98 % of the EU’s urban population is exposed to ozone levels exceeding WHO guidelines;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B l (new)
Recital B l (new)
B l. whereas coal and lignite plants significantly contribute to mercury emissions in the EU and 62% of mercury emissions from EU industry come from coal-fired power plants; whereas mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin which is damaging to the nervous system at even relatively low levels of exposure;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B m (new)
Recital B m (new)
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 a (new)
Paragraph -1 a (new)
-1 a. (new) Heading: A partially effective tool that needs to be improved;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that AAQ Directives are based on air quality standards that are now 15 to 20 years old, and that some of them are much weaker than current World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and the levels suggested by the latest scientific evidence on human health impacts; welcomes the commitment made in the European Green Deal to revise air quality standards and align them more closely with WHO standards and the scientific advice; points out to the need to update EU air quality standards by means of legislative changes to the AAQ Directives and introduce a mechanism that allows for aperiodic review of the standards to be aligned with the latest technical and scientific evidence;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recommends that revised air quality standards should also cover other non-regulated pollutants with relevant health impacts in the EU, such as ultrafine particles and black carbon; highlights the EU’s ambition to lead the transition to a healthy planet, and recalls that in order to become a global leader it should lead by example by adopting, inter alia, ambitious quality standards for all air pollutants;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. (new) Heading: Measuring air pollution
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Acknowledges the fact that Member States have established an air quality monitoring network based on common criteria defined by the AAQ Directives, with more than 4 000 monitoring stations and 16 000 sampling points; points out that site location provisions involve multiple criteria and offer a degree of flexibility which can make verification more difficult, and which often generate data that does not provide information on where the highest concentrations of air pollutants occur; urges the Commission to review and establish new mandatory rules for locating monitoring stations and sampling points, such as setting a minimum number of measurement stations per type of emissions source (transport, industry, agriculture or residential), or the possibility for the Commission to require additional monitoring points to be located where necessary to ensure better measurement of air pollution;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that even though the AAQ Directives do not focuinclude some provisions on reducing emissions in places where people suffer most from air pollution, or where concentrations are highest, and that concrete action in this area is neededfurther guidance on the macro scaling of the sampling points is needed from the Commission in order to strengthen the implementation of these specific provisions; notes that lower socio- economic groups are more exposed to air pollution because they are more likely to live close to sources of heavy pollution, both outdoor, such as traffic and industrial areas, and indoor, such as the combustion of low-quality solid fuels for domestic heating; underlines in this regard the need to better reflect human exposure to air pollution in EU law, and urges the Commission to include new indicators in air quality indices, such as population density around monitoring stations and sampling points;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. (new) Heading: Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 crisis;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that confinement measures to control the spread of pandemic led to a drastic decrease in emissions and air pollution, thus clearly showing the impact of human activities on the environment; notes with regret that continuous exposure to air pollution may worsen the impact of respiratory viruses such as COVID-19;reduction in traffic and industrial activity and as a consequence resulted in unprecedented decrease in emissions and air pollution at continental scale, with pollutant concentrations well below the legal limits and WHO recommendations, thus clearly showing the impact of human activities on the environment; notes with regret that continuous exposure to air pollution may worsen the impact of respiratory viruses such as COVID-19; highlights the fact that reducing air pollution to the levels seen during lockdown over the long-term would have substantial benefits for human health, as well as for agriculture and natural ecosystems; therefore underlines that fighting air pollution must be at the core of the EU recovery plan, and that mandatory and effectively enforced air quality requirements are key to guaranteeing citizens’ health and improving their resilience against future health threats;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has showed that the reduction of motorized traffic and changes in mobility patterns are an effective tool to reduce air pollution in cities; believes, therefore, that good practices such as proximity shopping, voluntary teleworking, electronic administration or staggering working hours should be promoted; emphasises the need to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles and to prioritise a modal shift, such as promoting walking, cycling, carpooling, new taxi schemes and public transport, to stop unsustainable mobility patterns;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Underlines that it is crucial to incentivise the market for electric vehicles and to issue Member States with guiding recommendations to encourage them to implement fiscal incentives for zero- and low-emission vehicles; stresses that the availability and accessibility of charging infrastructure, including in private and public buildings in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), and the competitiveness of electric vehicles are essential for increasing consumer acceptance; highlights the importance of ensuring that electricity generated for electric vehicles comes from sustainable energy sources;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8 c. Notes that cycling and walking have the lowest carbon footprint of all forms of transportation, and also have direct health benefits; highlights that broad, well-maintained and unobstructed pavements and cycle lanes, with a focus on central commuting streets and integrated into existing road networks while being securely separated from car lanes, can incentivise both forms of active travel; urges national, regional and local authorities to adopt ambitious policies and measures accordingly;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 e (new)
Paragraph 8 e (new)
8 e. (new) Heading: Promoting successful local policies on air quality
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 f (new)
Paragraph 8 f (new)
8 f. Asks to the Commission to establish guidelines to ensure a coherent approach in the design and implementation of local policies addressing the same sources of air pollution that have proven to be successful; points out to the fact that clear decreasing trends in air pollution can be observed mainly when policies are implemented in combination, and therefore a coherent approach across the EU in the design and implementation of local policies is fundamental to their success;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 g (new)
Paragraph 8 g (new)
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 h (new)
Paragraph 8 h (new)
8 h. Highlights the effectiveness of Low Emissions Zones to improve air quality when road traffic is the major source of pollution;notes that the design of a Low Emissions Zone is the main factor affecting its effectiveness and, based on examples of successfully designed and implemented Low Emissions Zones, makes the following recommendations: - To establish ambitious Low Emissions Zones in all EU cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants; - To focus on city-wide measures where possible, which are likely to be more effective than measures focused on specific streets or areas to improve air quality; - To implement stringent policies that allow access only to the cleanest vehicle; - To establish a flexible approach that allows for revisions to the scope or approach of the Low Emission Zone over time, taking into account changes in vehicle emission performance, technology and need for stricter enforcement; - To ensure effective implementation of a Low Emission Zone via the use of automatic vehicle controls (instead of more random, ad hoc, manual controls); - To provide for sufficient awareness raising and engagement with stakeholders in the design and implementation of air quality policies directly affecting them as traffic restrictions are more likely to be accepted if the population is informed of the policy, its health benefits, alternatives and supporting measures;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 i (new)
Paragraph 8 i (new)
8 i. Totally rejects reversion policies and calls on the Commission to establish new legal provisions in the Ambient Air Quality Directives to prevent that local policies and measures that have proven to be effective in improving air quality can be reverted by criteria of political opportunism; alerts that local measures such as the establishment of low emissions zones, also involve the adaptations and acceptance of residents affected by restrictions, and that reverting such measures not only has adverse effects towards air quality, but also towards public opinion, reducing the awareness and the gravity of air pollution;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 j (new)
Paragraph 8 j (new)
8 j. Emphasises the need of a profound urban restructuring to guarantee clean air so it has an impact on citizens’ health and the environment; believes that “15 minute cities”, within which homes, workplaces, public services and shops are accessible within 15 minutes by foot or public transport, should form the basis of the urban long- term planning;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 k (new)
Paragraph 8 k (new)
8 k. Calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure the necessary investments to accelerate the shift to vehicles with low emissions, including Low Emissions Zones, the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, cleaner public transport and public procurement;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 m (new)
Paragraph 8 m (new)
8 m. (new) Heading: EU policies impact on air quality
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Notes with concern that while emissions of most air pollutants remain on a downward trend across the European Union, emissions of ammonia (NH3) from the agricultural sector continue to rise, posing a challenge for EU Member States in meeting EU air pollution limits; highlights that in urban areas ammonia emissions account for around 50% of the health impacts of air pollution, as ammonia is a key precursor to particulate matter; calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the reform of the EU common agricultural policy (CAP) and national Strategic Plans as an opportunity to fight air pollution from the agricultural sector;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9 b. Regrets that methane emissions are not regulated under EU air pollution legislation and not specifically regulated under EU climate policy; calls for an ambitious legislative framework to tackle the methane emissions, including by setting binding reduction targets;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9 c. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop stringent EU car emissions standards for air pollutants (future Euro 7 standards for light-duty vehicles and Euro VII standards for heavy-duty vehicles), aligning them with WHO guidelines on air pollution in a technology-neutral manner which doesn’t discriminate between fuels; underlines that the new testing procedures for vehicles should be reviewed to broaden the scope of regulated pollutants measured, to increase their accuracy and effectiveness and to eliminate loopholes, thereby ensuring emission standards are indeed met under real driving conditions;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Paragraph 9 d (new)
9 d. Recalls that the energy production and distribution sector is responsible for more than half of sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions and one fifth of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the 33 member countries of the European Environment Agency;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 e (new)
Paragraph 9 e (new)
9 e. Notes that power generation using solid fuels will be the main source of mercury emissions to air in Europe for the foreseeable future; in this regard welcomes the commitments made by at least ten EU Member States to phase out coal; calls on the other Member States to phase out coal as an energy source by 2030 at the latest;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 f (new)
Paragraph 9 f (new)
9 f. Points out that the European Green Deal aims to reduce the environmental impacts of the EU and that in view of industry’s important contribution to overall pressures on the environment, it must make an appropriate contribution to meeting this overall goal; welcomes in this regard the announced revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) to better address pollution from large industrial installations and to make them fully consistent with EU environment, climate, energy and circular economy policies; considers in this regard that it would be advantageous to include in the IED other sectors, limit the derogations to a minimum, adopt a consistent outcome-oriented approach of promoting the industrial activity with the least negative environmental impact and integrate provisions stimulating progress within the permitting phase or BREF determination;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Stresses the need for the EU to adopt appropriate and effective measures to regulate maritime transport; draws attention to the fact that port cities must deal with shipping if they are to improve their air quality, as ship emissions are typically significantly higher than those of road vehicles; remarks with concern that ships’ detrimental impact on air quality continues to increase as the sector grows; notes that port cities also face pollution from shipping, cranes, cruises and various transportation vehicles; calls on the Commission to urgently fulfil its commitment to regulate access for the most polluting ships to ports and oblige docked ships to use the available recharging and refuelling infrastructure, such as shore-side electricity, to decrease air polluting emissions, thereby protecting coastal areas and their populations; calls on the Commission and Member States to implement a ‘zero emission at berth standard’ in all European ports;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10 c. (new) Heading: Air Quality Plans
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that Air Quality Plans (AQPs), a key requirement of the AAQ Directives in cases when Member States do not comply with air quality standards, are often ineffective in terms of delivering their expected results; calls on the Commission to establish a set of minimum requirements and share best practices for both the drafting and implementation of AQPs; considers that the current lengthy production of the AQPs puts at risk their effectivity and believes that AQPs should focus on short and mid-term measures that are result oriented and tackle emissions from identified main pollution sources;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Regrets the fact that the AAQ Directive neither requires Member States to report on the implementation of AQPs to the Commission nor to update them when new measures are adopted or when the progress is insufficient; calls on the Commission to establish a yearly reporting obligation for the implementation of AQPs, to ensure that Member States’ measures are quick and effective in improving air quality;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. (new) Heading: Enforcement of the Ambient Air Quality Directives
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Alerts that as of OctoberFebruary 20219, 321 infringement procedures against 2018 Member States remained pending; considers that persistent exceedances of air quality standards by Member States indicate their lack of commitment to adopting more effective measures, and the ineffectiveness of the current enforcement procedure; urges the Commission to review the current enforcement procedure for the AAQ Directives;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13 b. (new) Heading: Improving public information, awareness and involvement
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that information on the possible health effects of air pollution provided by Member States is scarce, unclear and not easily accessible for the public; calls on the Commission and Member States to launch public information campaigns on topics such as different types of air pollutants and their impact on human health or current local levels of air pollution, and to publish rankings of the best and least progress made by air quality zones; believes that awareness campaigns of the devastating effects of air pollution next to relevant pollution sources such as gas stations, airports or seaports, and/or the installation of air quality displays could also improve public awareness and information and prompt a change in behaviours and patterns that can contribute to air quality;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to implement and promote tools to encourage public participation in the implementation of the AAQ Directives, such as the mandatory development by Member States of an online tool or/and app that informs citizens about air quality and its impact on human health and also allows them to request air monitoring stations or sampling points, report on air quality violations or provide feedback to the Commission on issues related to Member States actions on air quality;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. (new) Heading: Other recommendations