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13
International Developments
Abstract
The challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global one, and
it is important to make efforts to decrease combustion processes in all
countries. At the same time, it is also important to take into consideration
the particular circumstances of different areas, because the specific needs
and opportunities can vary by region. Improving air quality has local and
regional challenges and it is possible for a metropolitan area to make significant progress towards reducing emissions in a community. This chapter
focuses on three locations – China, London (UK), and Norway – as examples
of how to approach this global challenge in different, local ways. China is
a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and there has been a recent
effort to improve air quality in many large cities. Central London is a single
city, designated as a low emission zone in 2008, and since then there has
been an effort to improve air quality in central London. Norway is a lowerpopulation country that has had an ongoing effort to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and improve air quality for several years, and has several
incentives to encourage citizens to purchase electric vehicles. Improving air
quality is an important goal in all three cases, even though their approaches
have varied. Norway has made much greater progress than China and
London in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
13.1 Introduction
There are significant developments underway in many countries related to
reducing greenhouse gases and improving air quality. Because of the more
immediate and direct impact of air quality on health, there is considerable
information on regulations and management efforts to improve urban air
quality (Gulia et al., 2015). Many countries have urban air quality management plans, with regulations and monitoring of important pollutants such as
particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and ozone.
119
13
International Developments
Abstract
The challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global one, and
it is important to make efforts to decrease combustion processes in all
countries. At the same time, it is also important to take into consideration
the particular circumstances of different areas, because the specific needs
and opportunities can vary by region. Improving air quality has local and
regional challenges and it is possible for a metropolitan area to make significant progress towards reducing emissions in a community. This chapter
focuses on three locations – China, London (UK), and Norway – as examples
of how to approach this global challenge in different, local ways. China is
a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and there has been a recent
effort to improve air quality in many large cities. Central London is a single
city, designated as a low emission zone in 2008, and since then there has
been an effort to improve air quality in central London. Norway is a lowerpopulation country that has had an ongoing effort to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and improve air quality for several years, and has several
incentives to encourage citizens to purchase electric vehicles. Improving air
quality is an important goal in all three cases, even though their approaches
have varied. Norway has made much greater progress than China and
London in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
13.1 Introduction
There are significant developments underway in many countries related to
reducing greenhouse gases and improving air quality. Because of the more
immediate and direct impact of air quality on health, there is considerable
information on regulations and management efforts to improve urban air
quality (Gulia et al., 2015). Many countries have urban air quality management plans, with regulations and monitoring of important pollutants such as
particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and ozone.