Joint Air Quality Initiative

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Air pollution (AP) constitutes a risk to human health. It is thought that lung conditions. exacerbated by AP cost the EU €50 billion per year and reduce life expectancy by an average of 6 months. Contrary to popular believe. air pollution is increasing. Factors such as rising industrial activity. energy production and increased traffic have all contributed to increased AP. Furthermore. air pollution is highest in areas where urban development is concentrated. A major part of the NWE-region is considered as one of the two European hot spot zones (NWE OP p18). Research shows that pollutant metrics not currently measured (Ultrafine partilces. partcle number etc) constitute better links to health endpoints than nitrogen dioxide and PM10. Untill now there was no understanding of the spatial distribution of these metrics espcially at the local and regional scale. and there is little guarantee that current air quality policies will result in improvements to health. The aim of the Joaquin project is to take a 360° approach to facilitate the development health relevant air quality (AQ) policies in the NWE hotspot region. This project wants to: 1. provide decision makers with the necessary evidence on their current local/regional situation (what does this mean for us?) 2. provide decision makers best-practices on how to deal best with the current local/regional situation (what can we do about it?) 3. motivate decision makers to adapt current policies by creating a support base with stakeholders and the general public To reach the projects aim and to promote a transnational approach to improve the AQ in the NWE region (as specified in target objective 3 of the INTERREG IV-B NWE-programme). it is necessary to carry out efforts in all 3 the above mentioned basic assumptions of AQ policy making. and to tune them to each other (360°).

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