What does success look like for air quality policy? A perspective

Abstract

This paper explores the drivers and role of science in air quality policy over the last 100 years or so. Case studies on the smogs of Los Angeles and London, acid rain, health impacts of particulate matter, diesel and lead in fuel are used to explore the drivers and models for the interaction of science, evidence and air quality policy. It suggests there are two phases to air quality mitigation, the first driven by the air quality emergency as the pollution is visible and the effects can be relatively obvious and the second driven by science that is directed towards continuous improvement. A critical element of the ‘science phase’ is the evidence base, the models of evidence-based and -informed policy-making are explored with the conclusion that it is optimal when guided by the ideal of co-creation of knowledge and policy options between scientists and policy-makers. The future and wider drivers for air quality are detailed with a number of key areas for ‘success’ indicated as important for air quality policy development such as continuous improvement. Overall, we find there is tension between two factors: the ambition to reduce emissions, improve air quality and reduce the impacts on public health and the environment on one hand, and questions of cost, technical feasibility and societal acceptability on the other. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Air quality, past present and future’.

What Do Economists Have to Say about the Clean Air Act 50 Years after the Establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency?

“…The EPA sets industry-specific emissions standards for new or modified sources of pollution in nonattainment counties, whereby affected facilities are required to adopt "lowest achievable emissions rate" technologies. 1 In addition, the EPA regulates mobile sources including most motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act, wielding the power to impose testing and certification requirements for engines and to require specific fuel formulations and additives. Thus, the Clean Air Act gives the EPA sweeping powers.…”

The COVID-19 Pandemic Vs. the Economic Political Dimensions of the Problem of Air Pollution in Poland

“…This 'invisibility of the air pollution problem has not been conducive to the development of AQ policy, andfrom a historical perspectivethe problem needed to become visible to stimulate the policy development. This has been aptly observed by Monks and Williams (2020), who introduced a two-stage model of AQ policy development. The model is based on historical data on Europe and the United States (US).…”

“…Data on surface concentrations of PM10 were retrieved from air quality monitoring stations of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection. As regards the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on AQ policy in Poland, the analysis is conducted on a theoretical level, concerning: (1) the two-stage model of AQ policy development (Monks and Williams, 2020), ( 2) the theory of classification in policy-making (Rhinard, 2019), and (3) the research on the success and failure in public policies, tied to the theories of crisis management (McConnell, 2011). Findings: Research results show that the COVID-19 lockdowns positively impacted Poland's air quality in 2020, and it considerably improved the level of Poland's compliance with the EU's air quality standards.…”

Global Air Quality, past present and future: an introduction

“…There are two papers describing policy aspects explicitly. Monks & Williams [1] consider the drivers of policy and role of science in development of air quality policy over the last 100 years, while Amann et al [2] looks forward to the middle decades of this century to gauge the likely improvements in air quality from current conditions. We appear to be a decade or so after peak emissions of sulfur dioxide and close to peak emissions for NOx emissions and there are prospects of a gradual global improvement in air quality over the next four decades.…”

“…There are two papers describing policy aspects explicitly. Monks & Williams [1] consider the drivers of policy and role of science in development of air quality policy over the last 100 years, while Amann et al. [2] looks forward to the middle decades of this century to gauge the likely improvements in air quality from current conditions.…”