The preparation of the 2016 assessment report highlighting the main achievements of and remaining challenges facing the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution is nearing its final stages. The report summarizes current scientific knowledge on transboundary air pollution issues within the UNECE region and describes the effectiveness of air pollution reduction measures in addressing large-scale effects on vegetation and lakes, in protecting human health and in preventing against other air pollution effects, such as loss of biodiversity and damage to crops and cultural heritage sites or monuments.
Based on trends analyses undertaken by the Working Group on Effects and the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP) under the Convention, the assessment report aims to serve as a basis for considering new directions for policy development and for identifying policy-relevant research questions.
At a recent meeting of the Extended Bureaux of the EMEP Steering Body and the Working Group on Effects, a pre-final version of the assessment report was discussed. The final report will be presented to the Executive Body for the Convention and launched at an event in May 2016.