Air
quality advisers do not have instruments to solve air quality problems. They
are dependent on the activities of others such as traffic advisers. So there
have to be integral agreements (rules and assignments by the administration and
management) and mutual understanding. Beside the attitude and way of working of
the advisers is quite different from a person responsible for monitoring.
From 1987
environmental advisers in Utrecht have tried to prevent air quality
problems and to use other sector plans to solve them. There is a lot of
experience now and all advisers are trained in advising. Below you find the
most important recommendations for air quality advisers.
1. Know your own role/ place in the power
game.
What is your role on different levels (city, region,
nation and international) and in different periods (now, in the governmental
period, long term)?
Don't try to do the impossible at once and find
companions.
2. Implement a filter function for better
understanding of the problems.
Give clear messages and aim at a workable policy.
Listen to the problems of others (obstacles for plans) and
start discussions. Find strong arguments for meeting the rules.
3. Help principals to solve their problems on
air pollution.
It takes time and efforts to convince people there is a
problem and it is their problem. As an adviser you can help them to solve the
problem and to discover the profits.
4. Put the responsibility where it belongs.
You are not alone: inform and engage other people. At the
end the politicians are responsible for decision making, you only can advise
them. So always inform your superiors and the politicians and explain risks.
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