Critical load, dynamic modelling and impact assessment in Europe: CCE Status Report 2008

Abstract

This report addresses the 2008 European database on spatially-specific critical loads and dynamic modelling parameters (2008 CL database). This report emphasises the risk of impacts caused by the deposition of oxidised and reduced nitrogen and includes a comparison with the former database, which was compiled in 2006 (2006 CL database).

The 2008 CL database is important because it is designed to support the revision – which is expected to commence in the coming year – of the 1999 Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone, under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP Convention) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The information on impacts of air pollution is also available to the Economic Commission in support of its Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and to the European Environment Agency for the update of its core set of indicators.

The 2008 CL database was used to re-calculate the size of the natural areas within Europe which were at risk of eutrophication in 2000. This has shown that these areas, in total, were about 3% larger – covering 49% of nature – than was previously calculated with data from the 2006 CL database. For the EU25 countries, in the same year, this area was even 12% larger, covering about 77% of the ecosystems. This increase can be largely explained by the inclusion of European semi-natural vegetation in the 2008 CL database.

The report also describes the adverse effects of excessive nitrogen deposition that have been tentatively calculated to occur in the future, with respect to geo-chemistry and biodiversity.