Lecture

Air Pollution and Legal Framework

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In course

ENG-474: Environmental impact assesment

Présentation des bases des études d'impact, du contexte et des outils d'évaluation de chacun des sujets et des chapitres. Illustration par de nombreux cas réels, et par un travail de groupe. Discussion des limites des EIE et des nouveaux outils tels que le ...

Description

This lecture covers the legal bases and environmental impact studies related to air pollution, focusing on fine dust, ammonia, nitrogen deposition, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency measures. It discusses the impact of pollutants on health, ecosystems, and climate, as well as the regulations and recommendations set by Swiss authorities to mitigate air pollution. The lecture also addresses the critical loads of nitrogen for different ecosystems, the effects of excessive nitrogen deposition, and the measures to combat air pollution in various sectors such as road construction, industry, and transportation.

Instructor

Félix Schmidt

Teaching & PhD Courses Environmental impact assesment ENG-474 Presentation of the bases of the environmental impact assesment (EIA), context. Assesment methodology and tools for each of the topics and chapters. Illustration with many real cases, and group work. Discussion of the limitations of EIA and new tools such as strategic environmental studies.

Official source

Related concepts (32)

Greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions (abbreviated as GHG emissions) from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, is one of the most important factors in causing climate change. The largest emitters are China followed by the US, although the United States has higher emissions per capita. The main producers fueling the emissions globally are large oil and gas companies.

Ecosystem

An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the system through photosynthesis and is incorporated into plant tissue. By feeding on plants and on one another, animals play an important role in the movement of matter and energy through the system. They also influence the quantity of plant and microbial biomass present.

Nitrogen cycle

The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmospheric, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion of nitrogen can be carried out through both biological and physical processes. Important processes in the nitrogen cycle include fixation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification. The majority of Earth's atmosphere (78%) is atmospheric nitrogen, making it the largest source of nitrogen.

Greenhouse gas inventory

Greenhouse gas inventories are emission inventories of greenhouse gas emissions that are developed for a variety of reasons. Scientists use inventories of natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) emissions as tools when developing atmospheric models. Policy makers use inventories to develop strategies and policies for emissions reductions and to track the progress of those policies. Regulatory agencies and corporations also rely on inventories to establish compliance records with allowable emission rates.

Greenhouse gas

Greenhouse gases are those gases in the atmosphere that raise the surface temperature of planets such as the Earth. What distinguishes them from other gases is that they absorb the wavelengths of radiation that a planet emits, resulting in the greenhouse effect. The Earth is warmed by sunlight, causing its surface to radiate heat, which is then mostly absorbed by water vapor (), carbon dioxide (), methane (), nitrous oxide (), and ozone (). Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature of Earth's surface would be about , rather than the present average of .

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