Project

The SEEDS project is a Horizon 2020 funded project.

SEEDS aims at using all available satellite observations to improve estimates of European air quality and pollutant emissions.

In addition to the coordination of the project, NILU was responsible for work to understand dry deposition fluxes by combining satellite observations with a land surface model to better understand the role played by vegetation, droughts, and heatwaves on surface fluxes of trace gases and pollutants.

NILU also studied the emissions of volatile organic compounds from vegetation within the same frame of work.

Project

NatureScape project, in an ambitious initiative led by NILU aimed at transforming urban environments into sustainable and resilient spaces through the strategic integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). Funded by national and European research grants under the European Biodiversity Partnership, NatureScape has secured a total budget of €2 million for its operations spanning from 2025 to 2028.

NatureScape's Vision

NatureScape seeks to address the critical post-implementation phases of NBS, enhancing not only biodiversity and climate resilience but also the health and well-being of urban populations. With a focus on creating dynamic urban spaces that respond to environmental challenges, the project underscores NILU’s commitment to leading edge research and development in environmental sciences.

Core Objectives

The primary goals of NatureScape include developing robust indicators for assessing the functionality and impact of NBS, and establishing NBS Transformation Labs (T-Labs) in key cities across Europe. These labs will serve as hubs of innovation and community engagement, fostering the co-development of sustainable urban solutions. The project will also delve into analyzing the synergies and trade-offs associated with NBS, drawing lessons to refine future strategies and creating comprehensive tools and guidelines for urban planners.

European Cities as Living Labs

Demonstrating its strategies across seven diverse cities including Oslo, Dublin, Riga, Milan, Lisbon, Lublin, and Saint-Gallen, NatureScape aims to showcase the adaptability and effectiveness of NBS in various urban settings. Each city was selected for its unique characteristics, providing a rich ground for testing and optimizing NBS approaches.

Innovative Approaches and Tools

The project will employ a mix of cutting-edge methodologies:

• Community Engagement: Utilizing citizen science and geo-based platforms to ensure inclusive stakeholder involvement.
• Environmental Governance Models: To enhance stewardship of urban NBS.
• Impact Assessment Frameworks: Sophisticated tools to enhance NBS synergies and minimize trade-offs.
• Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD): For visualizing and analyzing the complex dynamics within NBS ecosystems.
• Challenge-Based Methodologies: To foster adaptive urban planning and policy development.

A Strong Consortium

Under the coordination of NILU, NatureScape brings together a consortium of esteemed institutions including the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, University College Dublin, Politecnico di Milano, Lisboa E-Nova, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Lublinie, and Nodibinajums Baltic Studies Centre. This diverse team ensures a robust multidisciplinary approach to tackling urban environmental issues.

Project

The European Topic Centre on Human Health and the Environment (ETC HE) is a Consortium of 10 partners with expertise in air quality, air pollution, industrial emissions, chemicals, noise and environmental health.

The lead institution of the ETC HE is the Environment and Climate Institute NILU (NO), supported by the German Environment Agency who acts as a scientific co-coordinator.

The ETC HE assists the European Environment Agency (EEA) in the following areas:

- Better understanding of health impacts form environment and climate pressures

- Benefits to well-being delivered by healthy environments

- Supporting policy implementation: Air quality, Air pollutant emissions, Chemicals, Environmental noise, Industrial releases

- Exploring links between environment/climate pressures and social inequalities, socio-economic dimensions

- Zero pollution ambition for a toxic free environment

- Chemical strategy for sustainability

- Just transition.

Project

Project

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) is funded by the European Union and administered by ECMWF. CAMS is the dedicated service within the Copernicus programme for providing services and data products to help understand European air quality and global atmospheric composition.

NILU is part of a consortium of research organisations across Europe responsible for providing tools to help support decision and policy making in the management of air pollution episodes and reporting under European Directives.

In addition to providing tools, the project also creates an annual report documenting the air quality situation in Europe during the previous year. This report helps policy users with their responsibilities for national reporting under the European air quality directives.

The reports are available here.

Project

A good indoor environment at school is important for the health and well-being of pupils and staff, and has a significant impact on pupils' learning outcomes.

Good maintenance of buildings and operation of the technical facilities is important to have good indoor climate, but it is also crucial that staff and pupils use the school buildings correctly and are involved in practical indoor environment work at school level.

This requires that staff and pupils are aware of and have knowledge of how their behavior affects the indoor climate, as well as how the individual can contribute to ensuring as good an indoor climate as possible at the school.

Data from indoor climate sensors, combined with information about how employees and pupils experience indoor climate and related health problems, can provide new opportunities to both identify indoor climate problems, find the cause and identify the right measures, and to create new tools that engage and involve the users of the school buildings.

Today's schools are largely equipped with sensor systems for indoor climate, but there are no tools to collect data on user experiences. Data from integrated sensors is to a small extent available to the school. Information on connections between sensor data and experiences is currently lacking.

DIGG-MIN-SKOLE vill combine data from sensors that are an integral part of the school's technical facilities and/or individual indoor climate sensors with self-acquired data related to user experience.

This data will be used to develop a machine learning model that can estimate the probability that the users will experience reduced well-being/health problems, which factors in the indoor climate are most likely to be the cause of the health problems (temperature, light conditions, noise, CO₂ etc.) and identify targeted mitigating measures at school /classroom level.

Unit managers, staff and students must contribute to the design of (part) tools so that the results from the machine learning model are suitable for use in the school's everyday life. The end result will be a technical specification and demonstration of a user-oriented management system (BOF) in several schools.

Project

The aim of the project was to perform a field test of three commercial Vaisala sensor system units to validate the measurements of NO₂, O₃, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ against results from reference instrumentation.

The field test took place at a measuring station in Oslo, which is characterized as an urban background station. The field test lasted 3 months.

Project

NILU har utarbeidet en tiltaksutredning del I (kartlegging) for lokal luftkvalitet i Levanger. Utredningen er gjennomført på oppdrag for Levanger kommune etter anbefaling fra Miljødirektoratet.

Tiltaksutredningen gjør rede for forurensningssituasjonen og mulige tiltak for å redusere nivået av luftforurensning innenfor kravene i forurensningsforskriften.

Tiltaksutredningen omfatter en kartlegging med utslipps- og spredningsberegninger for alle relevante kilder til PM₁₀ og PM_2,5 i 2017 og 2019. I tillegg er det utført målinger av disse komponentene gjennom hele 2021 ved en målestasjon (Kirkegata) i Levanger sentrum.

Basert på resultatene fra kartleggingen, er det foreslått en handlingsplan med fire hovedpunkter som kan bidra til å redusere forurensningsnivåene i Levanger.

Project

Transformative adaptation is gaining recognition as the appropriate response to climate change as the current adaptive measures reach their limits.

In addressing health risks associated with heat waves, air pollution, wildfire emission and pollen, the implementation of comprehensive transformative adaptation remains largely unreported in Europe.

healthRiskADAPT’s objective is to develop and implement a health risk assessment system for Mediterranean, Alpine and Continental regions. Its contents and tools will be in line with Climate-ADAPT described Urban adaptation support tool. This will support empowerment of local and regional authorities to make informed decisions in strategic planning, management and daily operational mitigation of health challenges related to climate change.

healthRiskADAPT will address the fundamental causes of vulnerability and implement concrete adaptation measures aiming to mitigate the health impacts of climate change. The key details of this approach include:

1) Co-creation with users of integrated transformative adaptation options encompassing technical, nature based, and social solutions, reducing the impact of climate-related risks on human health in both indoor and outdoor environments. (SO₁, SO₅, SO₆)

2) Vulnerability assessments, health indicators, and risk indices related to climate change impact on health, considering different temporal and spatial scales. (SO₂, SO₃)

3) Interactive and user-friendly toolkit for local & regional authorities to assess hazards, vulnerability, and risks specific to their regions. These toolkits will facilitate the prioritization, planning, and evaluation of adaptation options. (SO4)

healthRiskADAPT will use various communication techniques (SO7) to actively engage with all stakeholders involved in the adaptation process, and develop an upscaling strategy to meet the ambitions of the Climate mission. Furthermore, we seek to enhance the preparedness of the healthcare system to respond effectively to the challenges posed by the effects of climate change.

DOI: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101157458

[caption id="attachment_53972" align="alignnone" width="1037"] Floatchart for the project HealthRiskADAPT[/caption]

Project

NILU and Urbanet analyse have prepared a revised air quality assessment for Tromsø.

The action plan, including strategies and measures, aims to reduce air pollution to a level that meets the requirements of the regulation.

The air quality assessment covers mapping of the air quality in Tromsø through traffic, emission and dispersion calculations of PM₁₀, PM_2,5 and NO₂ for the current situation in 2016 and future situation in 2023 with and without measures to combat particulate matter.

Based on the results from the calculations and in collaboration with Tromsø municipality and the working group, a revised action and emergency plan has been proposed for political consideration.

Project

NILU, in collaboration with Asplan Viak AS, has prepared a local air quality assessment for Drammen municipality.

The project includes an assessment of air quality in Drammen through traffic calculations and emission and dispersion calculations for airborne particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) for the Present situation in 2021, and future scenarios (2030) with and without measures aimed at PM emissions.

Based on the results from the calculations and in collaboration with Drammen municipality, Statens vegvesen, and Viken fylkeskommune, a revised action plan has been proposed for political processing.

Project

NILU has prepared a revised air quality assessment for Bergen.

The assessment with an action plan for improved local air quality aims to ensure that pollution levels remain within the limits set by the Norwegian regulation. The assessment of air quality in Bergen municipality includes traffic and emission and dispersion calculations for PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and NO₂ for the current situation in 2019 and the reference situation in 2030 with existing and potential new measures.

The plan evaluates the effectiveness of these measures in meeting the requirements and considers the possibility of further reductions according to the recommendations of health authorities.

Based on the results of the calculations and in collaboration with Bergen municipality, Statens vegvesen, Bergen port authority, and Vestland fylkeskommune, a revised action plan has been proposed for political processing.

Project

The air quality assessment for Lørenskog municipality covers mapping of the air quality through traffic, emission and dispersion calculations of PM₁₀, PM_2,5 and NO₂ for the present situation (2019) and future scenarios (2030) with existing and possible future measures.

Based on the calculations and in coordination with Lørenskog municipality and the reference group, a plan for improved local air quality and a management plan for periods with high concentration levels is proposed for political processing.

Project

NILU and Urbanet Analyze (UA) have prepared a revised air quality plan for Bergen city. The air quality plan will help to reduce the air pollution to a level that meets the requirements of the pollution regulations.

This revised action plan includes air quality calculations for Bergen for NO₂, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 for the present situation (2015) and scenario calculations for the year 2021 following a business as usual (BAU) emission scenario.

Mitigation scenario calculations of air quality in 2021, with the introduction of a new set of measures to control pollution levels Bergen, were also carried out.

Based on the results of the calculations and in dialogue with Bergen municipality and stakeholders, a revised 10-point action program has been proposed to be addressed politically.

• Read the project report: Air quality plan for improved air quality in Bergen

Project

Alternative title: GRC-pilot: Overvåking, kartlegging og modellering av luftkvalitet for bærekraftige miljøer i byer og samfunn

Overview

The MASSEV project is a pioneering initiative designed to enhance health, urban living, and foster global partnerships, with a specific focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This innovative project employs a holistic nexus approach to examine the intricate relationships between climate change, air quality, health, and overall well-being. It aims to leverage and further develop cutting-edge digital tools, social solutions, and nature-based solutions (NBS) to create robust strategies for mitigating climate change and air pollution. These strategies will be crafted considering various factors such as governance, societal structures, and economic implications, ensuring a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.

Objectives

• Comprehensive Monitoring and Assessment: Evaluating the dynamic relationship between air quality, health, and well-being under varying climate conditions.
• Indicator Development: Creating and implementing indicators that align with responsible research and innovation (RRI), and the SDGs, providing measurable outcomes and benchmarks.
• Ex-post Impact Analysis: Analyzing the project's effects on various societal aspects such as social inclusion, community empowerment, attitudes towards climate change and air pollution, and overall community well-being.

Demonstration Cities

• Jinan and Qingdao, China: These cities will serve as key sites for implementing and testing the project's initiatives, particularly focusing on urban settings in fast developing countries.
• Santiago, Chile: As a contrast, Santiago will provide insights into the project's application in different geographical and cultural contexts, enhancing the project's global relevance.

Key Approaches and Tools

• European Digital Citizen Engagement Tools: Utilizing advanced digital platforms to engage citizens in China and Chile, enhancing public participation and awareness.
• Chinese Ecological Monitoring Platforms: Implementing sophisticated sensor networks and big data analytics to monitor ecological changes and air quality in China.
• Advanced Modeling Techniques: Deploying the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) and CityChem models, combined with machine learning algorithms and dose-response functions, to conduct in-depth analyses of environmental impacts on health.

Consortium

The project brings together a diverse array of partners, including researchers, local authorities, community groups, NGOs, and academic institutions. This collaborative approach is designed to foster societal ownership and empower stakeholders through active involvement and co-design of the project's initiatives.

Project

Dacon is a small production facility located in Baerum, west of Oslo, Norway. The main products are equipment for search and rescue designed for boats and maritime sector.

During the production, the company uses various types of plastic and plastic fabrics that are treated, melted and moulded into new products. This process gives emissions of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) into the working environment.

In this project, samples were taken during melting and burning of plastic materials, as well as in different locations in the production facility in Baerum.

All concentrations were below the threshold values given in Norwegian legislation.

Project

Hydrovolt is a joint venture owned by Hydro (NO) and Northvolt (SE), and the company operates a battery recycling facility in Fredrikstad, S-E Norway.

The purpose of the NILU monitoring was to quantify the levels of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) at the Hydrovolt plant. The sampling took place at various steps throughout the production line.

The NILU technology to remove hydrogen fluoride (HF) was applied. If HF is not removed, HF can dissolve the Tenax^TM sampling material and hence give erroneously high concentrations of VOCs.

There was also sampling of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), hydrogen fluoride (HF), ozone (O₃), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), formic acid (HCOOH), and acetic acid (CH₃COOH) using passive samplers.

The monitoring results will be sent to Norwegian authorities (County Governor) to document components emitted from the Hydrovolt facility.

For all practical purposes, the volume flow emitted from Hydrovolt is small (55 m³/h) and the total amount emitted is regarded as minor.

Project

NILU has, on behalf of LKAB Norge AS, carried out emission and dispersion calculations for combined emissions from point sources and diffuse sources from the facility in Narvik. The purpose of the project was to develop dispersion calculations that indicate LKAB's contribution to the pollution situation in Narvik.

LKAB Norge AS in Narvik is responsible for loading iron ore from Sweden onto ships at LKAB's port in Narvik, as well as unloading additives for transport back to LKAB in Sweden. This process involves both controlled point source emissions and emissions from diffuse sources. Several factors, including correlation between loading activity and measured deposition, suggest that the loading and unloading operation is the most significant diffuse source.

The dispersion calculations have been conducted using FLEXPART-WRF, an atmospheric dispersion model based on meteorological data from the weather forecasting model WRF. FLEXPART models particles that follow the turbulent air movements of the atmosphere and are deposited on the surface through dry and wet deposition. In this analysis, total emissions are estimated on inverse calculations from  the relationship between measured and calculated dust deposition, rather than from generic emission factors such as the EEA/EMEP air pollutant emission inventory Guidebook (2019).

This, along with an assumption about the size distribution of dust emissions, yields a resulting field of ground concentrations for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5. The concentration field can be extracted from the model at the desired time and spatial resolution.

The figure shows three snapshots of the PM₁₀ concentration field along with the temporal variation at a given point over a period in February. A full calendar year is calculated, providing annual mean, daily mean, and hourly mean concentrations.

[caption id="attachment_52069" align="alignnone" width="1171"] The figure shows three snapshots of the PM10 concentration field along with the temporal variation at a given point over a period in February. A full calendar year is calculated, providing annual mean, daily mean, and hourly mean concentrations.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_52067" align="aligncenter" width="1379"] LKAB in Narvik. Copyright: LKAB.[/caption]

Project

Socio-economic growth has led to rapid urban development in Polish cities, and major and recurrent challenges have arisen linked to uncontrollable urban sprawl development (e.g., transport congestion, high traffic emissions).

This feedback relation is not properly understood by decision-makers, often due to missing evidence-based support.

We aim at developing an integrated framework for analyzing the nexus land use – transport – traffic emissions (LUTEm) associated with urban sprawl development in Polish cities by combining advanced multimodal transport planning and emission modelling.

The LUTEm framework will be applied to real-world case studies in Polish cities to

1. 1. underline negative effects induced by suburbanisation,
   2. assess intervention scenarios and
   3. formulate paths towards green transition in land-use-transport development in case-study cities.

The results will be a novel research support for decision-makers in understanding the land-use-transport interactions, and resultant traffic emissions to improve air quality and mitigate climate change.

To achieve this, we will perform transport modelling, where the effects of spatial development vs. transport system structures upon travel choices will be simulated.

The transport model will be integrated with a state-of-the-art model to estimate air pollutant and GHGs emissions to provide insights on the relationship between urban planning and environmental sustainability across the case-studies.

The LUTEm analysis will reveal co-beneficial interventions and measures to mitigate the negative urban sprawl consequences for traffic emissions, discussed then with city policymakers and stakeholders.

Project

The scientific community still has no consensus on if and how Arctic warming and sea ice loss can influence weather and climate in the Northern Hemisphere. The BASIC project sets out to better understand the climate response to Arctic change, especially focusing on the new Arctic characterized by more open water in summer (hence bluer) and increased newly-formed sea ice in winter. This latter change has been mostly overlooked, but it has potentially profound climate impacts.

Sea ice change can affect the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) through modulating ocean salinity: AMOC is a large ocean current driven by the sinking of denser water in the northern North Atlantic. It carries tropic warm water into the North Atlantic and thus along the Norwegian coast, but has been weakened by the increase of freshwater due to long-term sea ice melting. As multi-year ice is decreasing rapidly, the recent and future increasing newly-formed ice may change such impacts.

A bluer Arctic may change the respective roles of Arctic Ocean temperature and sea ice in impacting climate. Model experiments have shown that the climate responses to an ice-free state are appreciably distinct from an ice-covered state. We expect that, before the Arctic reaches an ice-free state, Arctic sea ice may shrink stepwise and go through a threshold where ocean temperature takes over to impact climate. Identifying this threshold is important for climate prediction.

Bluer Arctic with increased newly-formed winter sea ice is concurrent with an Arctic warming extending downwards into ocean interior and upwards to mid-troposphere (~5 km). But the climate models have divergent abilities to simulate the observed deep Arctic warming, which caused debates in this field. BASIC will develop a new methodology to conquer this problem.

The BASIC project will analyze available observed and simulated datasets and run new experiments with the Norwegian Earth System Model to address the above issues.

Project

Alternativ tittel: SNOWDEPTH – Globale snødybdemålinger fra satellittdata for permafrost, nedbør i høyfjellet og klima-reanalyser

The SNOWDEPTH project will, as the first in the world, directly measure snow depths globally at high spatial resolution from freely available ICESat-2 NASA spaceborne laser altimetry data available since autumn 2018.

To generate global monthly snow depth maps, including for mountainous and forested areas, we will combine the ICESat-2-derived snow depths with Sentinel snow cover/depth data in an ensemble-based data assimilation (DA) framework.

This global snow depth data will fill a large data and knowledge gap within hydrology and cryosphere/climate sciences and is directly relevant for the three application cases within the project: permafrost, high-elevation precipitation and climate reanalysis. The project has two parts and is supported by field activities for ground reference.

In phase 1, we will develop algorithms to derive snow depths at two complementary scales:

• local snow depths from ICESat-2 profiles that capture the high spatial variability in areas with small-scale topography, and
• global snow depth maps with monthly temporal resolution, using DA methods.

In phase 2, we will use the derived snow depths within three application fields where they directly benefit to advance the state of the art:

• Permafrost: include snow depths in an existing model framework to greatly improve modelling of the ground thermal regime, both locally at targeted field sites and at global scale. The current lack of snow depth data is a key bottleneck for permafrost modelling.
• High-elevation precipitation: analyse how snow depths vary across orographic barriers to increase understanding of high-altitude precipitation processes. These are currently largely unconstrained due to lack of measurements.
• Climate reanalysis: verify and improve operational and climate reanalysis products through cross-comparison and improved process understanding. In data-sparse areas, reanalysis products are less accurate and largely model-driven given the lack of observations.

Project

Air pollution has serious impacts on human health, wellbeing and welfare. The main challenge is to understand how to regulate air pollution in an optimal way both on global and local scales.

The aim of the project is to link detailed information of the spatio-temporal distribution of air pollution levels with register data for mortality and morbidity in the Nordic countries to gain new understanding of the various health impacts from different kinds of air pollution from different sources.

This will provide the basic understanding needed for policy making of strategies to optimally reduce the air pollution challenge and to assess the related impacts on the distribution of health impacts and related societal costs and welfare.

The results from the project will be used in both a Nordic as well as global perspective to improve the health and welfare by finding the optimal solutions to societal and public health challenges from air pollution through high-quality research. The study will provide a Nordic contribution to international research on the topics of environmental equality and justice within the area of air quality related risks, amenities and wellbeing.

The project was coordinated by Aarhus University in collaboration with 16 partners from other Nordic countries:

Partners

The research collaboration will run for five years and has 16 partners from the Nordic countries.

The project is coordinated by Prof. Jørgen Brandt and Senior Scientist Camilla Geels, Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University.

All the partners:

Denmark

Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science (AU-ENVS) (all WPs)

Aarhus University, Department of Public Health (AU-DPH) (WP3)

Aarhus University, CIRRAU (AU-CIRRAU) (WP3)

Danish Cancer Society Research Center (DCRC) (WP3)

Finland

Finnish environment institute (SYKE) (WP1 & WP5)

Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) (WP2)

National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) (WP3 & WP4)

Sweden

Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) (WP1 & WP2)

Umeå University (UMU) (WP3)

Swedish Environmental Research Institute Ltd. (IVL) (WP4)

Norway

Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) (WP1)

Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) (WP5)

Vista Analysis (Vista) (WP4)

Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) (WP3)

Iceland

The National University Hospital/University of Iceland (Landspitali) (WP3)

University of Iceland (UI) (WP1 and WP2)

Project

Diffuse emissions from the unloading of zinc (Zn) concentrate in Odda, Western Norway have been quantified using an inverse modelling approach.

Eleven deposition samplers were strategically placed around the plant with sampling period of six months, approximately one month exposure time. Metal content of deposited material in the samplers were analyzed by mass spectrometry.

The gaussian deposition model CONDEP, driven by wind data measured on site, was applied to estimate emissions of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As) and copper (Cu). These emission estimates were then used to calculate deposition onto water surfaces.

The emission rate of Zn was estimated to be 19 (between 7 and 36) g per ton unloaded mass, equivalent to 214 (150‑300) kg per 30 days. Of the total mass emitted, 40% (27-45%) were estimated deposited onto water, equivalent to 89 (40‑140) kg per 30 days.

Project

NILU has studied the effect of aluminum production on the environment around Norwegian aluminum smelters by doing calculations and measurements since the early 1970s.

In this project, surface concentrations have been calculated for SO₂, dust and fluorides, as well as the metal components listed in the emission permit close to the smelter in Årdal, Western Norway.

The calculations are based on a conservative methodology (CONDEP) and the emission inventories are taken from the emissions permit as a worst-case assessment.

The mapping provides answers as to whether there is a risk of certain pollution components being exceeded, or whether the emissions indicate ground concentrations below the current limit values.

For example, the results show that the limit values for SO₂ around the plant will not be exceeded by a good margin.