Friday 30 October 2015

EU Parliament approves new caps on pollutants

The European Parliament has approved plans that help reduce air production.

MEPs have given the green light for caps on emissions of six key pollutants including Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Methane (CH4), Ammonia and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2).

The measures could save up to €40 billion (£28.4bn) in air pollution costs by 2030, they claim.

MEP Julie Girling (ECR, UK) said: "Air pollution imposes enormous human and economic costs. It also damages the natural environment through eutrophication and acid deposition and it doesn’t stop at EU Member States’ borders.

"This legislation will help at all levels of governance in the Member States, including the regional and sub-regional authorities who have engaged so vigorously in the process. There is a real bottom-up demand for action."

MEPs will now enter into negotiations with the Council of Ministers with a view to reaching a first-reading agreement.

They also voted to remove a proposal from the European Commission for flexibility to allow Member States to offset reductions in emissions of NOx, SO2 and particulate matter from international shipping.