Acidification strategy sensitivity analysis

In mid 1997, the European Commission published its strategy to combat adverse environmental effects resulting from the deposition of acidifying pollutants. The ultimate target was to achieve zero exceedance of critical loads for acidification (CONCAWE Review Volume 7, Number 1).

As this will be unachievable within the foreseeable future, the Commission’s proposals sought a least cost solution to achieving a 50 per cent gap closure by 2010 towards this ultimate target. At the time the proposals were published it was estimated that the proposed Acidification Strategy would cost the EU-15 an extra ECU 7 billion per annum, in addition to the ECU 40 billion per annum to implement existing emission reduction commitments for SO_x, NO_x and NH₃.