DESIGNATING AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT AREAS (AQMAS) IN THE UK: IMPLICATIONS FOR SECURING UK AIR QUALITY OBJECTIVES

摘要

Across the United Kingdom, the majority of local authorities have now completed their first phase of local air quality review and assessment work, as required under the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (DETR, 2000a). Emerging from this first phase work is an anticipated suite of over 110 Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). These areas are identified locations where one or more of the national air quality objectives are predicted to exceed by specific target dates, and their spatial extent and shape is emerging as highly variable. Local authorities are guided to use a variety of scientific tools to underpin the scientific assessments, and a consideration of uncertainty in both the tools used and subsequent delineation of AQMAs is likely to affect the emerging management areas significantly. With subsidiarity underpinning the process of local air quality management (LAQM), local decision-making is anticipated to influence the outcome of the LAQM process in its entirety, with the declaration of AQMAs necessitating the preparation and implementation of air quality action plans. UK experience of the effective management of local air quality, through the designation of AQMAs, demonstrates a valuable framework for other European countries developing mechanisms to manage air quality locally.