Environment
Background
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. An unspoiled environment is a source of satisfaction, improves mental well-being, allows people to recover from the stress of everyday life and to perform physical activity. Having access to green spaces for example, is an essential part of quality of life. Also, our economies rely not only on healthy and productive workers but also on natural resources such as water, timber, fisheries, plants and crops. Protecting our environment and natural resources therefore remains a long-term priority for both our generation and those to come. Each country in the OECD has its own unique environmental concerns, due to differences in consumption, air and water pollution, climate, industry, and trade. But countries also need to work together as certain environmental problems, like climate change and ozone destruction, do not respect national borders.
Air pollution
Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, globally the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long term. Some of these complications require hospital treatment, and may be fatal. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In several OECD countries the share of the population exposed to PM2.5 has dropped. However, in about half of the countries, more than 90% of the population is still exposed to concentrations above the World Health Organization guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter. On average, PM2.5 concentrations are at around 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter in OECD countries.The OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050 projects the number of premature deaths associated with exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 to increase from just over 1 million worldwide in 2000 to about 3.5 million in 2050.
Water Quality
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Managing water to meet that need is a major – and growing – challenge in many parts of the world. Many people are suffering from inadequate quantity and quality of water. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, from fixed sources such as industrial and municipal wastewater treatment plants, diffuse pollution from agriculture and urban run-offs remains a challenge, and improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. On average, almost 81% of people in OECD countries say they are satisfied with water quality.
Environment in Detail by Country
lva Environment - Latvia expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Latvia, PM2.5 levels are 10.6 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and slightly higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Latvia, 79% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, just below the OECD average of 81%.
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zaf Environment - South Africa expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people’s lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In South Africa, PM2.5 levels are 21.6 micrograms per cubic meter, much higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In South Africa, 67% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Green communities
Shortcomings in infrastructure quality and delivery disproportionately affect the poor and rural populations. Poor infrastructure raises the costs ("poverty premium") of supplying products to low-income and "difficult-to-reach" neighbourhoods, ultimately increasing the prices charged for those products.
Tedcoris a grassroots company that brings waste management to underserved communities. It provides informal workers and disadvantaged entrepreneurs with training to provide effective waste management. Tedcor obtains waste treatment contracts with municipalities and subcontracts tasks to these small businesses. The company thus ensures regular demand for the entrepreneurs' services. This business model lowers the overall cost of the waste management services, meaning that waste collection services can be extended to previously underserved areas.
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aus Environment – Australia expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Australia, PM2.5 levels are 5.2 micrograms per cubic meter, one of the lowest rates in the OECD, where the average is 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Australia, 93% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Reducing agricultural emissions
The government has made considerable efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the agricultural sector. The Emissions Reduction Fund operates across the economy, also covering the agricultural sector. The Fund incentivises companies to adopt smarter practices to cut the amount of greenhouse gases they create and credits companies for emissions reductions. Companies with projects capable of achieving maximum abatement at the lowest cost receive funding after a bidding process. Successful bidders then enter contracts with the government outlining the quantity and price of the carbon credits. Funding is not provided to the companies until after the abatement is delivered to ensure compliance with the agreement.
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aut Environment – Austria expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Austria, PM2.5 levels are 16.3 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter, as well as higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Austria, 92% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Adapting to climate change in the Alps
The Alps are particularly sensitive to climate change. Warming since pre-industrial times in the European Alpine Region has been two and a half times the global average. Austria's tourism income accounts for 4.5% of the national economy, and half of that is from winter tourism. With climate change, the natural snow-reliability of the Austrian ski areas will decrease substantially.
The Austrian ski industry is already investing heavily in measures to increase the reliability of its ski runs. The primary tool has been the use of snow machines to provide adequate cover. However, as temperatures (or humidity, or both) increase, so do the volumes of water and energy required, and the costs. Ultimately, rising temperatures could increasingly disadvantage Austrian ski slopes relative to Alpine countries with access to higher slopes, though opportunities may arise from increased summer tourism.
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bel Environment – Belgium expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Belgium, PM2.5 levels are 14.7 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Belgium, 84% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
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bra Environment – Brazil expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Brazil, PM2.5 levels are 10.3 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter but only slightly higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Brazil, 73% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Forest conservation
Brazil's recent experience in forest conservation is encouraging. Brazil has globally achieved the largest slowdown in annual forest losses, which fell from a high of 27 000 km2 in 2004 to under 5 000 km2 in 2014. This slowdown has been achieved with systematic use of satellite data for monitoring illegal logging, as well as better enforcement, combined with incentive-based measures such as credit restrictions to violators of environmental law. A significant expansion of protected areas has been crucial in fighting deforestation. The Amazon Region Protected Areas programme (ARPA) is one of the largest tropical forest conservation programmes in the world. To date it has established more than 500 000 km2 of protected areas in the Amazon.
Notwithstanding, deforestation remains a challenge in Brazil. Overall, total forest area has decreased by about 5% since 2000, and an area of forest equal to the size of Slovenia (or the Brazilian state of Sergipe) is still lost every four years. Pressures remain high in ecosystems outside the Amazon, especially in the tropical savannah (Cerrado), for which the government has recently launched a dedicated deforestation control plan.
Co-ordinating efforts to improve water management
Brazil introduced the National Water Management Pact to better manage regional disparities in water availability and institutional capacity for water management. The Pact proposes the implementation of co-operation contractual agreements between the National Water Agency and state-level water organisations.
The Pact relies on states’ self-assessment to set their own levels of ambition. This ensures that participating states maintain autonomy in managing their water resources. Each participating state sets its own targets to establish or improve water management procedures and instruments. States receive funding, technical and institutional support to help them reach their targets. The federal funding is contingent on the existence of state and river basin water resource plans, with targets, as well as the allocation of staff resources for implementation.
All states have shown interest in the pact and 24 out of 27 states have already signed on. Improvements include enhanced co-operation at the state level and within the National Water Agency; capacity development; and wide acceptance of the programme. The pact has also helped states save time and money as shared knowledge reduces the duplication of efforts.
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can Environment – Canada expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Canada, PM2.5 levels are 7.3 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Canada, 91% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Protecting the Great Lakes
Ontario's Great Lakes Strategy responds to public concerns about the deteriorating condition of the Great Lakes ecosystems. The Strategy consists of a multi-level engagement process which includes provincial ministries, municipalities, non-governmental organisation, industrial and commercial sectors, and First Nations and Métis communities. Stakeholders can influence the development of legally enforceable policies through this involvement with advisory committees.
The Lake Simcoe Protection Act and Lake Simcoe Protection Plan were established under the Great Lakes Strategy. This engagement process has been a good mechanism to set policy direction and implement solutions to complex environmental challenges. The resulting Protection Plan sets a target to reduce phosphorus by 40% to restore the cold water fishery. In support of the Great Lakes Protection Act, environmental NGOs formed the Great Lakes Alliance, which replicates the Lake Simcoe approach to stakeholder involvement in decision making.
Phasing out existing coal-fired electricity generation
Federal government regulations took effect on 1 July 2015, requiring that new coal-fired power plants, and existing coal-fired generation units nearing the end of their useful life, bring emissions intensity below the level of a natural gas combined cycle plant. Existing "end of life" coal units must either be shut down or retrofitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The 50-year lifetime allowed under this regulation is somewhat long; the government expects the regulation to force closure of 20 coal units by 2030, but 16 of these shutdowns would occur after 2025. If a shorter lifetime were applied this type of policy could be used to drive accelerated "unlocking" of existing coal-fired generation assets (e.g., through retirement, retrofit, or conversion).
Indeed, the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Alberta, which together accounted for around 75% of Canada’s coal-fired capacity in 2010, have moved forward with more ambitious policies. Ontario completed a phase out of coal-fired electricity generation in April, 2014, shutting down three coal-fired generation stations (Lakeview, Nanticoke and Lambton) and converting two others to biomass (Atikokan and Thunder Bay). In 2015 the province of Alberta announced a phase-out of coal-fired generation by 2030, although under the federal regulations six of the 18 affected coal units could have continued operating beyond 2030. Beyond their climate benefits, these phase-outs of coal-fired electricity generation will yield positive impacts on air quality and health.
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chl Environment – Chile expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Chile, PM2.5 levels are 16.0 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter, and a much higher level than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Chile, 71% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Green growth
Chile's Green Growth Strategy promotes economic growth while preventing further environmental deterioration. Though reliance on fossil fuels poses a challenge the renewable target of 20% by 2020 is on track. The government also aims to reduce CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 30% relative to 2007 levels.
The government has since introduced several tax reforms to support emissions and renewable energy targets. A tax on vehicles is paid once based on the vehicle's emissions of nitrogen oxides and its selling price. Another tax on emissions from stationary sources of pollution will be implemented by 2017. This innovative tax includes a carbon tax at a rate of USD 5 per ton of CO2 and a tax on local pollutants.
Making wine production resiliant to climate change
Chile is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including increased flood risk, loss of biodiversity, reduced availability of water for hydropower and reduced agricultural production.
Production of grapes and wine, Chile’s most important export agricultural commodity, relies on water supply: 81% of vineyards are irrigated. Water stress would mean a fall in production and affect the country’s competitive position on the international wine market.
Chile established a certification system for sustainable wineries in 2012; 46 wineries are now certified and adopt practices to adapt to climate change and reduce their impact on biodiversity (e.g. use of compost instead of synthetic fertilisers, biological corridors for native trees and flowers, cover crops to prevent soil erosion and chickens as a natural form of pest control).
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cze Environment – Czech Republic expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In the Czech Republic, PM2.5 levels are 19.5 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and much higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In the Czech Republic, 87% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
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dnk Environment – Denmark expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Denmark, PM2.5 levels are 9.3 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Denmark, 95% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Bicycle city
The City of Copenhagen has, as do many other Danish towns, a long tradition for cycling policies, investing in dedicated cycle lanes and bridges. Copenhagen City has 346 km of dedicated cycling tracks and 48 000 bicycle parking spaces throughout the city. 35% of Copenhagen residents cycle to work or education regularly. Around 55 % of all school children in Copenhagen cycle to school on a regular basis. Currently, more than 1.2 million km are covered by cyclists in Copenhagen every day. Copenhagen has developed a new dedicated bicycling strategy, aiming by 2015 to have 50% of its citizens commuting by bicycle on a daily basis, as a contribution to the city’s climate strategy.
The most innovative policy initiative to facilitate this goal is to build "cycle super highways" for fast, long distance bike commuting, with few or no traffic lights. An 11 mile-long cycle superhighway between Copenhagen and Albertslund, a western suburb, is the first of 26 routes scheduled to be built, which are designed to encourage more people to commute to and from Copenhagen by bicycle. For the superhighway project, Copenhagen and 21 local governments teamed up to ensure that there were contiguous, standardised bike routes into the capital, across distances of up to 14 miles.
Another measure is that stoplight signals have been adjusted so that "green waves" at primary traffic routes now favour the cyclists' 20 km/h and not the car speed. As many as 93% of cyclists think Copenhagen is either a very good, good or satisfactory city in which to cycle. The cycle-friendly fame of Copenhagen has led to other city cycling initiative adopters such as New York naming their biking lanes "Copenhagen lanes". The cycling strategy also has significant economic gains for the city.
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est Environment – Estonia expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Estonia, PM2.5 levels are 7.9 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD where the average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Estonia, 84% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Tallinn is among recycling champions
Since 2008, Estonian municipalities have used EU and domestic funds to build about 100 collection points across the country for packaging, garden and park waste, household hazardous waste and electrical and electronic equipment. Tallinn’s scheme for recyclable waste has gone further, providing containers for such waste near residential buildings. As a result, Tallinn reached a separate collection rate of 53% of all municipal solid waste in 2012, the third highest among EU capital cities: 85% of glass and 74% of paper waste were collected. In Tallinn, biodegradable waste is also collected from apartment buildings, restaurants and food shops.
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fin Environment – Finland expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Finland, PM2.5 levels are 6.2 micrograms per cubic meter, much lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Finland, 95% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Tackling climate change
Finland, like other Nordic countries, has set climate change mitigation and green growth as strong priorities. The government is using a variety of instruments to promote energy efficiency, which supplement EU legislation. Energy taxes based on energy content, CO2 and particle emissions, have been increased progressively and are high by OECD standards. The share of renewable energy in overall energy production is about a third, one of the highest in the OECD, and Finland is likely to meet its ambitious target of 38% for renewable energy by 2020. The biofuel obligation will rise from the current 6% of transport fuels to 20% in 2020.
The government has identified EUR 2.7 billion-EUR 4.5 billion in production-linked subsidies which can heighten environmental pressures, mainly in energy, transport and agriculture. Such evaluation is very useful and should be followed by the phasing out of harmful subsidies where feasible, taking into consideration wider socio-economic and competitiveness effects.
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fra Environment – France expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In France, PM2.5 levels are 13.4 micrograms per cubic meter, almost in line with the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter but higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In France, 81% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, the same as the OECD average of 81%
Better Policies for Better Lives
Public transportation for lower carbon emissions
STIF, the organising transport authority for the Île-de-France, is a good example of how institutional co-ordination can advance low-carbon mobility goals. STIF defines operational and services level targets, set fares, and negotiate performance-based contracts with public service providers. They also develop an urban mobility plan which includes objectives and actions to help reach the national CO2 emissions mitigation target of a 20% reduction by 2020. By including stakeholders and the public, this framework has helped foster consensus over plans and develop coherence in projects implemented by different authorities. These efforts have helped increase the provision of public transport (measured by the number of trips) by 27% between 2000 and 2014.
Reducing air pollution in Paris
In 2014, over 2.3 million residents in Île-de-France were exposed to levels of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide above safe limits for human health. In 2015, the city of Paris adopted a plan to combat air pollution which included incentive measures to encourage use of public transport, subsidies to purchase electric bicycles and cars, and the extension of the bike lane network and 30 km/h zones. It also became the first city in France to test restricted traffic zones. Since 1 September 2015, vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes identified as heavily polluting may not circulate in Paris between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. This ban will be extended progressively to other polluting vehicles according to a fixed schedule by 2020. Air quality will also improved through the reduction of the tax differential between diesel and petrol. The government plan to align the rates before 2022.
Reducing the use of pesticides by spreading good practices
The Dephy network of demonstration and experimentation farms tests, verifies, develops and rolls out agricultural techniques and systems for reducing the use of plant protection products. At the end of 2014, 1 900 farms were voluntary members of the network. All the sectors involved have managed to reduce their use of plant protection products while maintaining very good productivity levels. The 2015 Ecophyto II Plan aims to increase the number of farms in the Dephy network to 3 000 and to share their practices with a further 30 000 farms.
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deu Environment – Germany expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Germany, PM2.5 levels are 14.0 micrograms per cubic meter, nearly the same as the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Germany, 91% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, considerably higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Investing in clean transportation
Transport authorities manage provision, provide strategic planning and co-ordinate pricing across different modes of transport and different services providers. Frankfurt's Rhein-Main Transport Association influences policy and strategy beyond the borders of the municipality by bringing together three levels of government, 15 countries, 11 cities and the federal state of Hesse. To curb emissions caused by transportation the Association has invested in cleaner trains and introduced a fleet of hybrid buses.
Regulating air pollution
Small heating units using solid fuel such as woodburning stoves and wood-fired heating in households and small companies are a major source of emissions of harmful substances such as fine particles and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. In 2010, the government extended rules on such products to cover smaller units (from 4 kW to 1 MW of thermal power). The ordinance establishes emission limits for new installations, in line with best available technologies. It requires all existing stoves and boilers to be retrofitted with particulate filters or decommissioned by 2024 if emission standards cannot be met. Emission limits were tightened in 2015 to reflect technology development. Compliance with the limit values is established either by a manufacturer's certificate or by on-the-spot measurements. Installations and fuel quality are regularly checked.
The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) estimated that the 2010 ordinance would reduce particulate emissions to 16 000 tonnes by 2025 from some 24 000 in 2005, equivalent to about a 50% decline compared with the scenario without the revision.
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grc Environment – Greece expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Greece, PM2.5 levels are 17.5 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and much higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization. The burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation, as well as in the industrial and residential sectors, remains the major source of PM emissions.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern In Greece, 69% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Ai Stratis "green island" project
Greece has introduced a set of measures to better align environmental and energy policy with domestic technological development. Green infrastructure projects include the project to develop Ai Stratis as a "green island" – a good example of the development of mature renewable energy and energy-saving technologies.
Ai Stratis is a small island of approximately 300 inhabitants in the northeast Aegean Sea. The aim is to cover the island's energy needs in a sustainable way using hydro and geothermal energy, photovoltaic cells, wind energy, and biomass power plants. On a country-wide scale, the Energy Efficiency in Household Building Initiative aims to improve the energy efficiency of existing dwellings and to achieve a 20% reduction in energy consumption.
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hun Environment – Hungary expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Hungary, PM2.5 levels are 19.4 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and much higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Hungary, 77% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
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isl Environment – Iceland expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Iceland, PM2.5 levels are 3.0 micrograms per cubic meter, the lowest level in the OECD, where the average is 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and much lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Iceland, 99% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, the highest in the OECD, where the average satisfaction level is 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Limiting potentially toxic gas emissions
The government has put a limit on the concentration levels of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) that is released in the atmosphere by geothermal power plants. This gas has an unpleasant odour, it is irritant to eyes and respiratory systems in low concentrations and toxic and corrosive in high concentrations. At 50 µg/m3, measured as an average over 24 hours, the daily limit is three times stricter than the WHO guideline value of 150 µg/m3. Exceeding the ambient standards triggers financial penalties, and the authorities are obliged to inform the public each time the pollution exceeds the limit.
Reykjavík Energy, which operates the Hellisheiði power plant, has been exploring emission reduction options; including dissolving H2S in condensate water and injecting it back into the high-temperature geothermal reservoir, allowing its mineralisation. This technology is more environment-friendly than the current method of surface-processing H2S gas into sulphur powder, which then needs to be disposed of. The energy company expects that zero emissions can be achieved by 2020 thanks to this technology. The trials have been successful, but increased seismic activity in the area has been reported.
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irl Environment – Ireland expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Ireland, PM2.5 levels are 7.1 micrograms per cubic meter, much lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization. Due to Ireland's location, weather patterns that supply predominantly clean air, the relative lack of heavy industry and the bans on coal burning in many urban areas since the early 1990s, air quality is generally good.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Ireland, 85% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, ghigher than the OECD average of 81%.
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isr Environment – Israel expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Israel, PM2.5 levels are 21.1 micrograms per cubic meter, one of the highest levels in the OECD where the average is 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and much higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Israel, 67% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Coping with water scarcity
Water is a national priority in Israel. Municipalities were asked to set up professional water and sewage-management agencies in 2001 to reduce leakages and improve infrastructure. To ensure these improvements are sustained these agencies invest 30% of revenues back into repairs and maintenance.
The government recently adopted plans to further address water scarcity. The National Strategic Plan aims to recycle and reuse water for agriculture irrigation. To meet this goal, 50 water recycling centres were created by the end of 2014. The Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources also launched the Water in Smart Cities project to address urban and rural challenges and support the purification of industrial and domestic waters.
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ita Environment – Italy expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Italy, PM2.5 levels are 18.3 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Italy, 71% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Green chemistry
In Porto Torres (Sardinia), the government facilitated the transformation of an old chemical industry site into a "green chemistry" area that produces biodegradable plastic products. This has involved rehabilitating a contaminated site as well as installing a biomass power plant to supply the new industrial facility. The project is a joint venture between Versalis (the ENI group's chemicals subsidiary) and Novamont, a bio-plastics company. In six years, the project is expected to develop a value chain from non-food agricultural production to bio-plastics and bio-chemicals. The project has allowed employees of the old chemical factory to be retained and some additional employees to be hired in the future.
The central and regional governments, the joint venture, and trade unions signed an agreement providing for entirely private investment of about EUR 500 million (plus EUR 230 million for the biomass power plant).
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jpn Environment – Japan expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 10 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Japan, PM2.5 levels are 13.8 micrograms per cubic meter, slightly lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Japan, 87% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Smart water management
Fukuoka city created an extensive water infrastructure network to meet growing demand for water. The Water Distribution Control Centre monitors and controls water pressure gauges, flow meters and electric valves in the 21 blocks that make up the water service area. The system has been modified repeatedly over the years to address ageing facilities and adapt to demographic changes. The centre can now adjust water pressure based on the level of demand in the relevant block. This improvement has lowered water pressure in the entire system and saved an estimated 4 000 m3-5 000 m3 of water leakage every day. If any part of the system experiences damage, the water supply can be cut off immediately, further minimising water loss.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Guideline on the Promotion of Efficient Water Usage promotes the installation of non-potable water and rainwater systems. The Business Standards Act, which eases floor-area restrictions, and subsidies for buildings that implement these systems support this initiative. Reliance on surface water has since been reduced and the public is more aware of the importance of saving water. By 2012, 408 facilities had installed in-building recycling systems, 360 had industrial water systems and 1 335 had rainwater systems. Half of the Tokyo Dome’s (stadium) total demand of water is supplied by stored rainwater and a recycling-type water system.
Boosting the bioeconomy
Following the ratification by the Japanese Government of the Kyoto Protocol in June 2002, the Government announced two measures in December 2002: the Biotechnology Strategic Scheme and the Biomass Nippon Strategy. The main objective of the measures was to promote the utilisation of biomass, reduce the consumption of fossil resources and to mitigate global warming through the use of biotechnology. The policy objective stated in the Biotechnology Strategic Scheme is to replace approximately 20% (2.5 to 3 million tons per year) of conventional plastics with plastics from renewable resources by 2020. This initiative has stimulated some major Japanese corporations into sourcing bioplastics for their products e.g. Toyota.
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kor Environment – Korea expand
Key Findings
Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Korea, PM2.5 levels are 27.9 micrograms per cubic meter, the highest level in the OECD, where the average is 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and much higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Korea, 76% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Reducing air pollution in cities
Korea is among the world’s most densely populated countries, with some 70% concentrated in urban areas, particularly near the Seoul Metropolitan area. Air pollution, which already causes a wide range of health problems across the world, poses a real threat to this population. In response, Seoul has taken important measures to reduce air pollution. Yearly emission caps for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and sulphur oxides (SOX) were enforced in 2008. Facilities that exceed their allocated emissions receive fines. Emissions allowances have also been continuously reduced over the years to improve effectiveness. Considering the emission cap management system’s success to date there is potential to expand the system to other parts of the country.
The Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Control Master Plan (2005-14) successfully reduced air pollutant emissions by half from 2001 levels by 2014. Though air quality improved significantly, PM10 and NO2 concentration targets were not achieved. In a push to continue improving air quality, new concentration targets for PM2.5 and ozone were included in a second master plan for 2015-24.
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lux Environment – Luxembourg expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Luxembourg, PM2.5 levels are 12.2 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter but higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Luxembourg, 84% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
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mex Environment – Mexico expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5– tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Mexico, PM2.5 levels are 15.6 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Mexico, only 68% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Reducing air emissions
Over the last decade, Mexico has shown a high commitment to green growth challenges and has set ambitious emission reduction targets. Its General Law on Climate Change aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below a business-as-usual scenario by 2020 and by 50% by 2050 from the 2000 level, conditional on international financial support. A carbon tax on fuels was introduced in 2014 and the retail price of gasoline and diesel will be raised until 2017. Gasoline prices will then be liberalised and determined by market conditions in 2018. A national content requirement for non-renewable energy is set to increase from a current 25% to 35% by 2025.
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nld Environment – Netherlands expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In the Netherlands, PM2.5 levels are 14.0 micrograms per cubic meter, slightly higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In the Netherlands, 93% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
A flexible and integrated approach to climate risks
Climate change poses a challenge for long-term planning in the protection against flooding in river deltas and coastal areas. In the Netherlands, the Delta programme uses an approach called “adaptation pathways” to identify approaches for managing flood risk. Central to this is the identification of tipping points, where the existing set of measures in place would no longer achieve the desired objectives. Once tipping points are identified, a range of potential options are chosen and a monitoring system is established to track changes and ensure there is flexibility to change course if needed. The Delta programme takes a cross-sectoral approach, involving stakeholders in the water sector throughout the process so that all aspects of a decision are taken into account. The Delta Fund, which finances the programme, plans to integrate more of the existing water-related programmes into the yearly EUR 1 billion fund from 2020 onwards.
Energy efficient greenhouses
Dutch greenhouses are a major user of gas and electricity. Greenhouse as Source of Energy is a public-private partnership that works to make greenhouses climate neutral and near-independent of fossil fuels by 2020, and a source of sustainable energy supply by 2050. The main aim of the project is to reduce CO2 emissions by more than half compared to 1990 and reduce energy use per unit of product by 2% every year. Sustainable energy sources would then account for 20% of the energy consumed by greenhouses.
A range of policy instruments are available including R&D transfer and communication, laws and regulations, loan guarantees (for geothermal projects), a subsidy on investment, a tax reduction for energy saving investments, and an exploitation subsidy for renewal energy.
As a result of this work, energy efficiency has doubled since 1990, the number of geothermal energy sites has increased, and more closed or semi-closed greenhouses are in use among growers. Different equipment has been developed, such as a pipe that brings natural gas to growers and combined heat and power systems that use this gas to produce electricity and heat. New innovations include greenhouses that are climate neutral, new dehumidifying options, and hybrid LED options and photosynthesis sensors.
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nzl Environment – New Zealand expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In New Zealand, PM2.5 levels are 4.9micrograms per cubic meter, much lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In New Zealand, 89% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Improving water quality
The Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord is a commitment to reducing agricultural pollution in freshwater bodies and putting environmental best practices in place to protect water bodies. This voluntary agreement between New Zealand’s government and the dairy industry has set out clear performance targets, regular reporting and third-party auditing. Thanks to this accord, environmental best practices (e.g. fencing dairy cattle off from waterways) have been put in place more rapidly than would have occurred through new regulations. To date, it has successfully excluded 96% of the country’s dairy cattle from waterways. Other targets include the preparation of riparian management plans and installation of water intake metres by 85% of farms by 2020.
The 2014 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management sets minimum standards for human and ecosystem health on water quality and quantity in all water bodies by 2025. It further specifies that water quality in all regions can only be either maintained or improved.
Restoring the water quality of New Zealand’s largest lake
The water quality of Taupō Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, had been consistently decreasing since the 1970s; elevated nitrogen levels from intensified pastoral land use was causing proliferation of microscopic algae, reducing water clarity and increasing the growth of weeds in near shore areas.
In response to the worsening water quality, the government, regional authorities and the local indigenous people implemented an innovative policy package, comprising three components: i) a cap on nitrogen emission levels within the Lake Taupō catchment, calculated from the national nitrogen model OVERSEER®; ii) establishment of the Taupō nitrogen market; and iii) formation of the Lake Taupō Protection Trust to help fund the initiative. The policy package was implemented in 2011, after 11 years of public consultation to come to an agreement. The ability to trade through the establishment of the Taupō nitrogen market was a critical part of the negotiations; farmers wanted flexibility and ability to increase production, or to receive direct financial benefits for reducing nutrient losses. The Lake Taupō Protection Trust reduced the local economic and social impacts of the nitrogen cap by buying back some allocated nitrogen discharge allowances and purchasing farms to shift them to low-nitrogen activities permanently, however this came at a significant cost to the public (NZD 79 million). New lower-nitrogen ventures are emerging in the catchment, such as growing olives, farming dairy sheep, and producing and marketing “sustainable” beef. The environmental certainty enables development of added-value products with credible green branding. The policy package has also generated other positive environmental impacts, particularly carbon sequestration from the reforestation of more than 5 000 ha of land to pine plantations.
The market has provided the flexibility for land to move to its highest value use, while achieving the overall 20% nitrogen load reduction target. The goal is to restore water quality and clarity to 2001 levels by 2080. However, it is too early to assess the impact on water quality due to the considerable time lags between nutrient application to land and its eventual arrival in the lake via groundwater (greater than 100 years in some parts of the catchment).
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nor Environment – Norway expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Norway, PM2.5 levels are 4.6 micrograms per cubic meter, much lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Norway, 98% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, one of the highest in the OECD, where the average is 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Norway leads the world in sales of electric vehicles
Thanks to assertive policy actions, Norway has the world’s highest percentage of sales of electric vehicles. In 2015, nearly 25% of cars sold were battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. High sales of electric vehicles must be seen in the context of Norway’s heavy taxes on vehicle purchases and fuels. The country’s high registration taxes are broadly based on vehicle emissions performance.
The Norwegian support scheme for electric vehicles, which began in 1990, includes road and congestion toll exemptions, free parking, zero VAT and access to dedicated bus lanes at given times. The first co-ordinated, nationwide roll-out of public charging infrastructure began in 2009-2010. By 2010, 2 800 new normal charging points were installed. Over the next five years, national government subsidies for public charging installation and operations were gradually devolved to local authorities. By 2016, more than 1 000 fast or “semi-fast” charging stations had been built, and more than 7 500 public charging points were in operation.
Despite having already implemented the above policies for more than a decade, the growth in Norway’s sales shares of electric vehicles are a very recent and unforeseen phenomenon. The long-time lag may stem from the limited choice of models initially on offer, the slow improvement of the characterisics and cost competitiveness of electric vehicles, and delayed consumer response to embrace vehicles when they were initially introduced. Given the ongoing cost gap between electric and conventional cars and limited access to recharging infrastructure, the boom in Norway’s electric vehicle market would have not taken off without the government’s robust support policy.
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pol Environment – Poland expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Poland, PM2.5 levels are 22.1 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and much higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Poland, 82% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, broadly in line with the OECD average of 81%.
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prt Environment – Portugal expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Portugal, PM2.5 levels are 10.1 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and slightly higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Portugal, 86% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Compare your water services
The Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority launched a mobile app in 2014 to provide users with better information about water and waste services. The app lets citizens compare their services with those in 278 other municipalities across Portugal. They can also find information about how to reduce their own water consumption and waste production. This gives users the tools they need to demand better services from low performing operators and improve their general knowledge to make better environmental choices. By publicising poor performance and educating the public the app pressures operators to improve their services. The introduction of benchmarks has also incentivised improve efficiency and services.
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rus Environment – Russia expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In the Russian Federation, PM2.5 levels are 15.5 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Russia, only 55% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, much lower than the OECD average of 81%.
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svk Environment – Slovak Republic expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In the Slovak Republic, PM2.5 levels are 20.6 micrograms per cubic meter, much higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In the Slovak Republic, 85% of people say they are satisfied with water qualityhigher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Combining strong economic growth and lower air pollution
Reducing air pollution has long been a priority for the Slovak Republic. The Slovak government has ratified various international agreements and approved several national programmes for reducing emissions of air pollutants. For instance, the Slovak Republic is a party to the 1979 Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) and its eight protocols. The Slovak Republic has succeeded in achieving economic growth without increasing air pollution, even managing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with its 8% emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period (by 2012 from 1990 levels).
Two decades of economic restructuring, fuel switching and efficiency gains, and replacement of old polluting technology contributed to this good performance. The Slovak Republic also made major investments in air protection for EU accession and, since then, has defined air quality targets, non-compliance penalties and political responsibilities in line with EU directives. For example, the law obliges polluting operators to pay emission taxes.
However, although most ambient air quality standards are respected, particulate matter and ground-level ozone concentrations frequently exceed limit values for the protection of human health. Tax exemptions, such as those on electricity consumption, also have a harmful environmental impact. Environmental taxation would also be improved by introducing a carbon tax in sectors not covered by EU ETS (e.g. households) and by adding an environmental dimension to the motor vehicle tax, such as air pollution or energy consumption.
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svn Environment – Slovenia expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Slovenia, PM2.5 levels are 16.0 micrograms per cubic meter, higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Slovenia, 90% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
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esp Environment – Spain expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Spain, PM2.5 levels are 11.5 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter but higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Spain, 72% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Promoting cleaner vehicles
Spain is the third largest European manufacturer of cars and the largest manufacturer of light commercial vehicles. Spain introduced the Efficient Vehicle Incentive Programme (PIVE) in 2012 to reduce the negative environmental impacts of vehicle use in Spain by modernising the nation's vehicle stock. The programme provided a subsidy to replace passenger vehicles over 10 years old and light commercial vehicles over 7 years old with high-efficiency models that use less fuel and CO2 emissions. As of mid-2014, 2 885 car dealers were registered as collaborators. Following the programme’s reported success, the programme was extended for four additional phases.
PIVE is expected to deliver significant pollution reduction benefits, including reduced emissions of CO2. Nearly 365 000 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles have already been replaced. An early evaluation estimates that the PIVE will result in fuel savings close to 127 million litres a year and reduce some 262 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. OECD/ITF analysis of the effectiveness of such replacement schemes underscores the need for targeted incentives and sufficient differentiation, including the need to control the type of replacement vehicle chosen.
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swe Environment – Sweden expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Sweden, PM2.5 levels are 6.2 micrograms per cubic meter, much lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and lower than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Sweden, 96% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average, where the satisfaction level is 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Reducing nutrient pollution
The Swedish Environmental Code regulates the impact of agriculture on water habitats and the government has subsidised measures for reducing nutrient leaching. The 2007-13 rural development programme allocated about SEK 510 million for this purpose. The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) manages the funds for marine and aquatic environments. Out of these funds, SEK 310 million was allocated in 2013 to work with water management, liming, fish conservation, action plans for threatened species and local water projects. Measures to reduce nutrient losses to surrounding water bodies have yielded good results: a study of 65 streams in southern and central Sweden show a downward trend in concentration of nitrogen and phosphorous, directly related to implemented measures. Overall, use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers has dropped during the decade, contributing to reducing nitrogen surplus per hectare of agricultural land to below the OECD average and the level of many other Nordic and Baltic countries.
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che Environment – Switzerland expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Switzerland, PM2.5 levels are 14.5 micrograms per cubic meter, slightly higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter andhigher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Switzerland, 95% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, one of the highest in the OECD, where the average satisfaction level is 81%.
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tur Environment – Turkey expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In Turkey, PM2.5 levels are 20.0 micrograms per cubic meter, much higher than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter andhigher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In Turkey, only 65% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, lower than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Under sea rail tunnel to combat air pollution in Istanbul
Istanbul's growing traffic jams are not just a city transport headache, they also result in high levels of air pollution from vehicle exhausts. To reduce local air pollution, traffic congestion and energy consumption, the Istanbul municipality has launched a number of urban public transport projects. For example, the 8 km subway line which opened in 2000 is being extended, as are the light rail (Hafif-Metro) and tramway systems.
Istanbul has implemented one of the worlds' major transport infrastructure projects, upgrading 63 km of the commuter rail system and building a 13 km rail crossing under the Istanbul Strait (Bosphorus). In addition to reducing congestion, the Marmaray project is expected to improve air quality by reducing vehicle traffic on the two existing bridges that span the Bosphorus. However, to reap maximum environmental benefit from the Marmaray project, complementary actions should be undertaken such as active traffic management on bridge crossings and tight controls on parking.
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gbr Environment – United Kingdom expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In the United Kingdom, PM2.5 levels are 11.3 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter but higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In the United Kingdom, 84% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Efficient and affordable water supply
The UK's Electricity Market Reform aims to expand capacity by increasing investment and competition, and to promote low-carbon energy sources in electricity generation. The reform could slow the increase in household electricity bills and result in yearly savings of about GBP 40 per household on average over 2014-2030.
The Energy Companies Obligation was introduced in 2013 to reduce consumption and support people living in fuel poverty by funding household efficiency improvements. Many water and/or sewage companies introduced social tariffs to reduce bills for customers who have difficulties to pay. This programme works alongside the national Watersure scheme, which caps bills for poor and vulnerable households. An investment of GBP 40 million per year is expected to reduce every customer bill by GBP 50 in South West Water area, which has the highest bills due to underinvestment.
Energy efficiency improvements substantially lowered household electricity and gas consumption, and the share of gas and renewable energy in total energy supply increased between 1990 and 2012 at the expense of coal and oil. However, climate change policies will contribute to raise retail electricity prices, which could offset efforts to tackle fuel and water poverty.
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usa Environment – United States expand
Key Findings
The quality of our local living environment has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Outdoor air pollution is one important environmental issue that directly affects the quality of people's lives. Despite national and international interventions and decreases in major pollutant emissions, the health impacts of urban air pollution continue to worsen, with air pollution set to become the top environmental cause of premature mortality globally by 2050. Air pollution in urban centres, often caused by transport and the use of small-scale burning of wood or coal, is linked to a range of health problems, from minor eye irritation to upper respiratory symptoms in the short-term and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer in the long-term. Children and the elderly may be particularly vulnerable.
PM2.5 – tiny particulate matter small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of the lung – is monitored in OECD countries because it can harm human health and reduce life expectancy. In the United States, PM2.5 levels are 10.1 micrograms per cubic meter, lower than the OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and close to the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.
Access to clean water is fundamental to human well-being. Despite significant progress in OECD countries in reducing water pollution, improvements in freshwater quality are not always easy to discern. In the United States, 83% of people say they are satisfied with water quality, higher than the OECD average of 81%.
Better Policies for Better Lives
Protecting vulnerable cities
The Rebuild by Design competition was developed in the wake of Superstorm Sandy to spur innovative solutions to protect vulnerable cities from intense weather events. Proposed solutions had to be regionally-scalable and locally-contextual to increase resilience in the region. The competition framework encouraged design teams to invest more time and effort than would be found on the private market. A non-official analysis suggests the Rebuild by Design process leveraged five times the work than what was paid for.
Design teams formed local coalitions to develop fundable, implementable solutions that will inform new policy. This model has since created a network of 535 organisations in the Sandy region, 64 communities, 141 neighbourhoods and cities, and 181 government agencies dedicated to the implementation of projects emerging from the competition. Rebuild by Design continues to work with partners to build out the network to do research, develop case studies, exemplary projects, school programmes and competitions. The competition was named one of CNN’s Best Ideas of 2013.
Re-using contaminated land for renewable energy
The US government promotes renewable energy development (solar panels, wind turbines) on current and formerly contaminated land, landfills and mine sites when such development is aligned with the community's vision for the sites. RE-Powering America's Land Initiative (launched in 2008) bolsters the market for blighted land, diminishes development pressures on open space and promotes renewable energy as an alternative to traditional fossil-fuel power generation. Through reuse of these sites, communities can transform vacant, underutilised or blighted properties, and realise environmental, economic and social benefits. RE-Powering's innovative approach has provided tools, technical assistance and outreach to communities, local and tribal governments, and other stakeholders involved in the remediation of contaminated lands and the development of renewable energy.
Although difficult to directly attribute to the initiative, the number of installations of renewable energy on contaminated lands has increased substantially over the last 5 years where now 73 projects providing over 200 MW of capacity are installed.