Residential biomass combustion is a major source of PM2.5 and SLCP (Short Lived Climate Pollutants) emissions in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. SLCPs and PM2.5 have impact on climate, environment and health. When developing strategies for reduced emissions, reliable information on current emissions and assessments for how they can be reduced is essential. This report presents recommendations for how to further improve national activity data collection procedures for less uncertain emission inventory results. It also presents scenario results with estimated technical potentials for reduced emissions of SLCPs and PM2.5 from residential biomass combustion, transformed into potential impact on health and climate effects in 2035.

Emission inventories of Short Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP), and especially of Black Carbon are uncertain and not always comparable between countries. Comparable and reliable emission inventories are essential when aiming for efficient strategies and policies for reduced emissions. The overall objective of this project is to improve the Nordic emission inventories of SLCPs. This report presents a summary of results and highlights from four reports produced in the project. The topics cover results from a measurement programme that provided SLCP and PM2.5 emission factors for typical Nordic residential biomass combustion technologies, it covers emission projections and efficient measures to reduce emissions of SLCPs beyond current projections, and also presents results from investigating the potentials for reducing the health and climate impacts of residential biomass combustion.

In the future residential biomass combustion and transport will be important sources for emissions to air of black carbon (BC), as will agriculture and waste management for emissions of methane (CH4). Measures to abate emissions of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) are to varying degrees already in place in the Nordic countries. To reduce emissions beyond current emission projections, additional measures are required. Both technical measures, such as improved technologies, and non-technical measures, such as promoting behavioral changes favoring reduced emissions are discussed in this report. The overall objective of this project is to improve the Nordic emission inventories of Short Lived Climate Pollutants. This report presents results from the third and final phase of the project, an assessment of efficient measures to reduce emissions of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) in the Nordic countries.

This Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report (IPCC-SRREN) assesses the potential role of renewable energy in the mitigation of climate change. It covers the six most important renewable energy sources - bioenergy, solar, geothermal, hydropower, ocean and wind energy - as well as their integration into present and future energy systems. It considers the environmental and social consequences associated with the deployment of these technologies, and presents strategies to overcome technical as well as non-technical obstacles to their application and diffusion. SRREN brings a broad spectrum of technology-specific experts together with scientists studying energy systems as a whole. Prepared following strict IPCC procedures, it presents an impartial assessment of the current state of knowledge: it is policy relevant but not policy prescriptive. SRREN is an invaluable assessment of the potential role of renewable energy for the mitigation of climate change for policymakers, the private sector, and academic researchers.

The overall goal of the project is to stimulate decision-makers in Belarus to prioritize abatement measures aimed at black carbon in their efforts to reduce emissions of PM2.5, as encouraged in the Gothenburg protocol under the UNECE CLRTAP. To reach this purpose and in order to build up scientific basis necessary for further policy development, a comprehensive analysis of PM2.5 and BC emissions, emission reduction potentials and cost-effective abatement measures in Belarus has been conducted. The report presents two main parts of the conducted analysis: a part focused on the emission inventories, and a part summarizing the results of the integrated assessment modelling. The main focus is on analysis for Belarus; however, a range of modelling results have been obtained for the three participating Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

The main objective of these updated global guidelines is to offer health-based air quality guideline levels, expressed as long-term or short-term concentrations for six key air pollutants: PM2.5, PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. In addition, the guidelines provide interim targets to guide reduction efforts of these pollutants, as well as good practice statements for the management of certain types of PM (i.e., black carbon/elemental carbon, ultrafine particles, particles originating from sand and duststorms). These guidelines are not legally binding standards; however, they provide WHO Member States with an evidence-informed tool, which they can use to inform legislation and policy. Ultimately, the goal of these guidelines is to help reduce levels of air pollutants in order to decrease the enormous health burden resulting from the exposure to air pollution worldwide.

Nordic Ministers of Environment adopted in March 2012 the "Svalbard Declaration" with decisions to reduce the negative impacts of the climate changes and air pollution caused by the emission of the so-called Short-lived Climate Forcers (SLCFs) such as black carbon (soot) and methane. Along with CO2, they are the main reasons why the ice in the Arctic now is melting rapidly. At a workshop organised by the Nordic Group on Climate and Air Quality in June 2012 researchers and policy-makers discussed the recent scientific findings, the national experiences with emission inventories, identification of cost-effective measures to cut emissions and the drawing up of national action plans as well as the development in the field of international co-operation on SLCFs. The report presents policy recommendations, conclusions and recommendations on scientific research and monitoring.