Why do we estimate?

UNECE CLTRAP & EMEP

Set up in 1947, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's (UNECE) major aim is to promote pan-European economic integration. The areas of work covered by the UNECE include environmental policy and the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) identifies the Executive Secretary of UNECE as its secretariat. Emission estimates under CLRTAP are submitted to the UNECE.

European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) is a scientifically based and policy driven programme under CLRTAP. The main objective of the EMEP programme is to regularly provide governments and subsidiary bodies under the LRTAP Convention with qualified scientific information to support the development and further evaluation of the international protocols on emission reductions negotiated within the Convention. Initially, the EMEP programme focused on assessing the transboundary transport of acidification and eutrophication, including reporting of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH3), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Later, the scope of the programme widened to address the formation of ground level ozone and, more recently, heavy metals and particulate matter from 1980 onwards and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from 1990 onwards.

The UNECE has developed an e-learning course aiming to raise awareness about air pollution and its effects, ways to prevent and reduce harmful emissions and the CLRTAP and its protocols as an international framework for cooperation on cleaner air.

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View the latest CLRTAP submission (external website - opens in a new window)

Page last modified: 01 August 2022