Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution ( Convention on Long -range Transboundary Air Pollution, LRTAP ) is an international treaty on air pollution. The Convention concluded at Geneva on 13 November 1979 and entered into force on 16 March 1983. It is also Transboundary Air Pollution Convention, LRTAP ( Convention on Long - Range Transboundary Air Pollution ), the Geneva Convention or the Geneva Convention indicated, provided that no likelihood of confusion with the Geneva Conventions of martial law.

The agreement was signed between European countries, USA and Canada and the Soviet Union and is still valid in this sphere. Currently, there are 51 Contracting Parties. Compliance is monitored by the Economic Commission for Europe ( UNECE). On the basis of the Geneva Convention, eight protocols have been developed so far. These are:

  • The Helsinki Protocol on the reduction of sulfur emissions or their transboundary streams by at least 30 percent (1985 adopted, entered into force on 2 September 1987, the extended Oslo Protocol was adopted in 1994 and entered into force on 5 August 1998)
  • The Sofia Protocol for the control of emissions of nitrogen oxides or their transboundary streams (1988 adopted, entered into force on 14 February 1991)
  • (adopted in 1991, entered into force on 29 September 1997), the Geneva Protocol on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC )
  • ( adopted in 1998, entered into force on 29 December 2003 ), the Aarhus Protocol on Heavy Metals
  • ( adopted in 1998, entered into force on 23 October 2003), the Aarhus Protocol on Persistent or Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
  • The Gothenburg Protocol ( multi-component protocol ) to prevent acidification and eutrophication and the emergence of ground-level ozone ( adopted in 1999, entered into force on 17 May 2005, exacerbated in 2012 )

The Gothenburg Protocol sets for the signatory countries ( virtually all European countries as well as USA and Canada) limits on the annual emissions of the regulated pollutants (SO2, NOx, NH3 and VOC) for the year 2010 ( the base year for the percentage reduction: 1990) found:

Kt = 1,000 tons

In Germany, energy-related nitrogen oxide concentrations of 2,861 kt decreased in 1990 to 1,442 kt in 2005. Sulfur dioxide concentration decreased from 5,350 kt in 1990 kt to 560 in 2005. The carbon monoxide fumes decreased from 12,145 kt in 1990 to 4,035 kt in, 2005.

While previous protocols considered only a single contaminant, the effects of sulfur and nitrogen compounds as well as volatile organic compounds ( VOC) and ozone to be considered together. The Gothenburg Protocol is characterized by its problem -wide approach and is therefore also referred to as multi-effect or multi -component protocol. Three problem areas are to be mitigated:

  • The formation of ground-level ozone by reducing emissions of ozone precursors (nitrogen oxides, NOx and volatile organic compounds, VOC)
  • Contribute to the acidification of soil and water by the reduction of emissions of substances that contribute to acidification of precipitation (SO2, NOx, NH3)
  • Eutrophication ( nutrient enrichment) by atmospheric nitrogen deposition (NOx, NH3)
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