[en] In the last few decades the title Convention developed to an important player in the field of air pollution abatement. In a series of articles attention will be paid to the organization and the activities of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. In this part the focus will be on the Executive Body

[en] Short communication

[en] During the 1982 conference of the International Law Association (ILA) in Montreal the ILA discussed and adopted a draft of rules of international law applicable to transfrontier pollution. The draft presents criteria for the definition of transfrontier pollution and sets out rules for the prevention of such pollution and recommendations for a system of multilateral information, consultation, and co-operation in case of energy. (HP)

[en] The critical load concept expresses the sensitivity of ecosystems to nitrogen and acidic inputs from the atmosphere. It is derived both from empirical data of ecosystem evolution under a certain pollution load and from mechanistic models based on the steady state concept. Such research is presently developed in the Vosges mountains

[en] Short communication

[en] Moss samples collected from 22 sites all over Norway at five different times during 1977-2000 were analysed for stable lead isotope ratios. These data together with total lead concentrations and relevant literature lead isotope data from UK, western/central Europe and eastern Europe/Russia were used to elucidate major source regions for lead deposited in different parts of the country at different times. The southernmost part of the country was most affected from western/central Europe around 1975, but the deposition declined rapidly and UK became a more significant source region in the 1980s. Recently, the influence is mostly from Eastern Europe. In the west, UK was the dominant source region during the whole period. In the middle and northern regions, the deposition was low but also decreasing regularly, and the main source region was probably the North Atlantic. In the far north-east, influence from Russia and eastern Europe was dominant during the whole period

[en] Switzerland participates in the programme on mapping critical loads under the Convention of Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The first maps produced for these international requirements show the critical loads of acid deposition and their exceedances for forest soils and alpine lakes at a spatial resolution of 1 square kilometer. All required data are gathered and processed in a geographic information system. The critical loads of acidity were calculated by the steady state mass balance method, a quantitative approach applied by most of the participating countries. At the Coordination Centre for Effects (CCE) in Bilthoven (NL) the national contributions of several countries are consolidated into European maps. These maps are used as a basis for developing effects-based air pollution abatement strategies

No abstract available

[en] Hydrochemical changes between 1991 and 2001 were assessed based on two synoptic stream surveys from the 820-km² region of the Slavkov Forest and surrounding area, western Czech Republic. Marked declines of sulfate, nitrate, chloride, calcium and magnesium in surface waters were compared with other areas of Europe and North America recovering from acidification. Declines of sulfate concentration in the Slavkov Forest (-30 μeq L^-1 yr^-1) were more dramatic than declines reported from other sites. However, these dramatic declines of strong acid anions did not generate a widespread increase of stream water pH in the Slavkov Forest. Only the most acidic streams experienced a slight increase of pH by 0.5 unit. An unexpected decline of stream water pH occurred in slightly alkaline streams. - Acidified streams experienced unprecedented recovery from sulfate and nitrate pollution but pH and ANC decreased in alkaline streams

[en] The state where the accident occurs is responsible for taking defence measures against the damaging effects of ionizing radiation inside and outside its frontiers. Since Chernobyl accident, the international Atomic Energy Agency has completed the rule specifying that the country responsible of the accident should notify all other countries susceptible to be affected by the consequences, with two conventions. (author)