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The
Region of Brussels-Capital has since November 2002, its
“Plan for the structural improvement of the air quality and for the struggle
against the global warming”. This Air & Climate Plan contains 81 actions to
be implemented between 2002 and 2010 in order to monitor the air quality and to
decrease the emissions of air pollutants (acidifying pollutants, tropospheric ozone precursors,..),
ozone-depleting gases and greenhouse gases. The Plan concerns the transport,
the industry, the in-door pollution, energy in housing and in tertiary sector.
The Air
& Climate Plan is available to download at the following links:
in French : http://www.ibgebim.be/francais/pdf/Air/PLANAC_complet.pdf
in Dutch : http://www.ibgebim.be/nederlands/pdf/Air/PLANAC_complet_nl.pdf
If you
need more information on this subject, please contact
Gabriel
Torres, ir.
Institut Bruxellois pour la Gestion de
l'Environnement
Gulledelle 100
1200 Bruxelles
Tél. : 02.775.78.27
Fax : 02.775.76.11
E-mail : gto@ibgebim.be
Site : www.ibgebim.be
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Abstract in English - Air & Climate Plan for Brussels
On Wednesday
November 13, 2002, the Government of the Region of Brussels-Capital
approved the Plan for the structural improvement of the air quality and for
the struggle against the global warming 2002-2010, also called the Air
& Climate Plan. This Plan, prepared by the Brussels Institute for
Management of the Environment (IBGE) and the Administration of the Equipment
and Displacements (AED), is the direct consequence of the ruling of Brussels dated March 25, 1999 related
to the evaluation and the improvement of the quality of the ambient air. This
ruling transposes the European directive 96/62/CE of the same name.
Its objective is to meet all European and international
obligations as regards emissions and air quality. It also integrates the final
version of the climate plan for Brussels, which
aims at meeting the Kyoto
objectives, namely a limitation to +3,475 % of the greenhouse gas emissions
between 2008 and 2012, compared to their levels of 1990.
The Air & Climate Plan presents its objectives through
a wide range of regulations categorised according to the principal sources of
pollution, namely road transport, energy, businesses and
the households. Finally the integrated exposure of the population
and the follow-up of the Plan will be subject to specific measures.
Road transport
As regards road traffic, the Plan envisages measures
aiming at reducing the volume of the traffic, in particular through:
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An efficient management of the parking places
downtown in order to dissuade an abusive use of the car in the city;
-
A generalisation of the relocation plans of
businesses. In this context, the IBGE produced a methodological guide, while
the AED created an Internet website presenting useful information for any
relocation plan;
-
An increase and improvement of the public transport
services and alternative means of transport such as the bicycle or walk. The
IBGE will continue the implementation of the green grid making it possible to
support soft mobility measures, while the AED will continue to develop cycle
paths;
-
A better management of the traffic. Various actions
(regeneration of urban areas, public awareness campaigns...) will be carried
out by the Government in order to better monitor the speed and the flow of
vehicles according to environmental criteria; and
-
A reduction of sources of emissions related to
vehicles. This will be achieved through, amongst others, an increase of clean
vehicles.
Energy
A panel of regulations have been appointed to each of
these three sectors: residential, tertiary and industrial. The Plan foresees
for these sectors:
-
The installation of inventories and audits on
boilers and insulation for buildings;
-
The promotion of the rational use of energy through
awareness-raising campaigns and seminars;
-
The reinforcement of the legislation on energy; and
-
The grant of subsidies and assistance to the
investments for the boilers with high energetic performance and for the
insulation of the buildings.
Businesses
The legislation of certain sectors will be reinforced in
order to reduce the emissions of volatile organic compounds, of oxides of
nitrogen or fluorinated gases. These companies are:
-
Service stations/Petrol stations;
-
Dry-cleaning;
-
Printing works;
-
Body work;
-
Manufacturing paintings, lacquers...;
-
The incinerator; and
-
Fitters and repairers of the systems of
refrigeration of the air.
The companies concerned with Directive IPPC can receive a
specific environmental licence, which is not included in the Air & Climate
Plan.
Households
Provisions also directly relates to the information and
the awareness raising of the citizen. Indeed, through
the choice of the products, each consumer can durably play a part in the
improvement of air quality, for examples, buying paintings without solvents,
avoiding the domestic incinerations...
Integrated Exposure of the population
Thanks to the various monitoring stations for the quality
of the ambient air located throughout its territory, Brussels Capital Region
benefits from a tool, ‘Pollumètre’, which makes it
possible to give a dynamic image of the air pollution in Brussels. The
Plan envisages the continuous improvement of this tool.
In addition, the regulations of the integrated exposure also
aim at reducing indoor pollution during leisure (swimming pools) as well as in
homes and work places. This will be done through advices on the choice of
building materials, the training of professionals in health and building on
indoor pollution, and though awareness-raising campaigns for the citizens.
Follow-up of the Air & Climate Plan
The latest regulations of the Plan relate to its annual
programming, its bi-annual follow-up, its financing, its "costs
benefits" analysis, its coordination...
For more information: www.ibgebim.be
or info@ibgebim.be |