PARFUM - Particulates, Freight and heavy duty vehicles in Urban Environments
The environmental impacts of traffic on the air quality and the growing concerns about health effects is underpinned by the outcomes of the Clean Air for Europe Programme (CAFE) where approximately around 288.000 premature death per annum caused by PM2.5 are estimated. Furthermore, compliance with existing EU regulations and guidelines on air quality are becoming increasingly difficult and complicated; in particular, a new standard for PM2.5 (in addition to the PM10 limit value) was adopted on 21st May 2008 in the frame of the new directive on air quality and cleaner air for Europe (2008/50/EC). In addition, the NO2 limit value will come in force in 2010.
For these reasons, many EU cities are seeking to understand what technological and policy synergies are available to address these pollution problems, with particular emphasis on the evaluation of viability of large-scale introduction of measures. Some solutions are particularly critical given the noticeable gaps between expected reductions and real-life monitored results.
Urban traffic is a key source of pollution – especially in the critical areas of particulates and nitrogen dioxides. In the field of energy consumption and CO2 – transport consumes about 30% of the energy in the EU and shows still increasing CO2-emissions (see White Paper – ‘European transport policy for 2010: time to decide COM(2001) 370). Heavy duty vehicles have a disproportionately high contribution to urban pollution (e.g. 5% - 10% of vehicles flow but about 50% of NOx-emissions). The traffic emissions impact on the urban air quality is of major importance because the emissions take place where more than 80% of European citizens live. In addition, the urban topography (built up areas, street canyons) has a negative impact on the dispersion conditions and cause therefore inadequate high air quality concentrations.
PARFUM concentrated as a focussed project on the field of urban transport (freight, public and private). The project seeks to bridge the gap between research & development results and widespread implementation/market introduction with relation to integrated technological/policy solutions for the reduction of transport induced air pollution, notably particulates (PM10/2.5) Nitrogen Oxides (NOx).
Specifically, PARFUM implemented and evaluated a combination of innovative and state-of-the-art technologies for clean-vehicles for city logistics and public transport, integrated with synergistic policy and planning approaches. This two-pronged approach, that was tested and evaluated under-real life conditions in two urban areas (Bremen (DE) and Padova (IT), has been compared and analysed with regard to the results from other cities regarding complementary air pollution mitigation programmes. Rotterdam provided complementing input as regards retro-fitting of vehicles already in service and input on monitoring- and modelling approaches for PM 10/2.5 especially. The lessons learned during the real-life demonstrations have been investigated towards the potential for transferability and have been part of a capacity building exercise with a number of relevant cities with a focus on the new member states. PARFUM created transferable guidelines for European cities looking to reduce air pollution with regards to particulates and NOx.
Project part-financed by the European Union
within the LIFE programme
