PINETI III
Updating and further development of the method for recording and assessing inputs of acidifying and eutrophying air pollutants into terrestrial ecosystems
Ufoplan-Vorhaben - 3714 64 2010
Summary
The input of air pollutants is one of the main reasons for the endangerment of biodiversity in Germany. At the national level, for example in the national biodiversity strategy, as well as at the international level (e.g. EU Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution; EU NEC Directive; UNECE Gothenburg Protocol), it has been agreed to further reduce the exceeding of critical loads through deposition. The necessary emission reductions are to be achieved, for example, through the planned amendment of the EU NEC Directive. In order to verify compliance with the environmental quality objectives set, current data on pollutant inputs and their significance with regard to the protection of biodiversity are therefore required.
In accordance with the goals of national and international air pollution control policy and to support the enforcement of immission control and nature conservation regulations in the countries, atmospheric inputs of acidifying and eutrophying air pollutants must be modelled, mapped and assessed with regard to the threat to biodiversity by comparison with critical load thresholds. To ensure political acceptance and methodological consistency, widely accepted and already successfully tested models and methods must be used in Germany. At the same time, there are still important research questions within the framework of the previous model combinations, the answers to which lie both in the interest of application (increased validity) and in the interest of development.
Objective
The aim of the project is:
- Develop a methodology to determine the representative input of pollutants for a sample year.
- To produce a quality assured data series of the input of the pollutants for 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 on a land use specific basis.
- o assess the protection of or pressure on ecosystems caused by the input of air pollutants and to present their development over time by means of robust indicators.
The data obtained will be used to update the internet-based, high-resolution and area-wide database for determining the background load of ecosystems with nitrogen depositions, which is used e.g. within the framework of immission control approval procedures (TA Luft No. 4.8).
Previous project PINETI II:
PINETI II Interim report