[en] Various global/transfrontier air pollution problems are described. The causes of these problems are presented. The impact on ecology and biosphere are discussed. Special attention is given to the greenhouse causing agents

[en] Could benefit-cost analysis play a larger role in the discussion of policies to deal with the greenhouse effect? The paper also investigates the causes of this lack of influence. Selected forms of benefit-cost research are probed, particularly the critical discussions raised by this type of research, in an effort to suggest where the chances of greater acceptance lie. The paper begins by discussing the search for an appropriate policy: optimal, targeted, or incremental. It then describes the work being done in specifying and estimating climate change damage relationships. A consideration of the work being done in specifying and estimating abatement (both mitigation and adaptation) cost relationships follows. Finally, the paper ends with an examination of the search for the appropriate policy instrument. International and methodological concerns cut across these areas and are discussed in each section. This paper concludes that there seem to be a number of reasons that benefit-cost results play only a limited role in policy development. There is some evidence that the growing interest in market-based approaches to climate change policy and to other environmental control matters is a sign of increased acceptance. Suggestions about research directions are made throughout this paper

[en] Climate change prevention has become one of the major concerns of environmental policy in the Netherlands. The Dutch government has set definite targets for CO₂ emissions in the coming decade. These targets and the measures necessary to reach them are described in the paper. In addition, the technical feasibility of realizing the Toronto objective of a 20% reduction in CO₂ emissions by the year 2005 in the Netherlands is discussed. It appears that energy conservation options are most crucial for the short-term, but that eventually new supply technologies are needed to obtain drastic reductions in the long term. The increased need for research and development efforts has led to two innovative research programmes on sustainable energy development in the Netherlands. The ENGINE (ENergy Generation In the Natural Environment) programme is implemented by the Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN) and addresses the specific problems associated with the three major components of supply: cleanliness in the case of fossil fuels, safety in the case of nuclear energy, and costs in the case of renewable sources. The complementary SYRENE (SYstem integration of Renewable ENergy and End use) is implemented by the Netherlands Agency for Energy and Environment (NOVEM) and addresses the system aspects of sustainable energy development. The objectives and approaches of these two programmes are briefly presented. 1 fig., 1 tab., 4 refs

[en] Short communication

[en] Significant reductions in greenhouse gases and criteria pollutants can be achieved through continued substitution of clean, efficient electrotechnologies for fossil fuel-based technologies. Continued improvements in the efficiency of electrical appliances already in use will further increase the environmental benefits of electricity. Over the last several decades, electricity use in the US has grown strongly. Over a 35 year period 1960-95, electric utility sales increased more than fourfold, from under 700 billion kWh (BkWh) to almost 3,000 BkWh. This increase was due, in part, to a growing economy, but it also reflects the increasingly broad application of electricity to provide comfort, convenience, entertainment, safety and productivity. Reflecting this expanding role, energy used for electricity generation by utilities has nearly doubled, increasing from 19 percent of US primary energy use in 1960 to about 36 percent in 1995. Environmental factors have also provided support to policies that promote improved end-use efficiency. More efficient end-use equipment allows consumers to obtain the same level of end-use services with less electricity. Reduced electricity consumption levels imply reduced generation requirements and therefore, lower levels of emissions associated with generation. Beginning in the mid-1970's, and stimulated by abrupt increases in fossil fuel prices, both government and utility policies began to emphasize end-use efficiency

[en] A technique for deriving ice temperature in the Arctic seasonal sea ice zone from passive microwave radiances has been developed. The algorithm operates on brightness temperatures derived from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and uses ice concentration and type from a previously developed thin ice algorithm to estimate the surface emissivity. Comparisons of the microwave derived temperatures with estimates derived from infrared imagery of the Bering Strait yield a correlation coefficient of 0.93 and an RMS difference of 2.1 K when coastal and cloud contaminated pixels are removed. SSM/I temperatures were also compared with a time series of air temperature observations from Gambell on St. Lawrence Island and from Point Barrow, AK weather stations. These comparisons indicate that the relationship between the air temperature and the ice temperature depends on ice type

[en] The title project studies the impact of international capital transfers on the efficiency and efficacy of greenhouse gas emission reduction. The absolute costs of emission abatement is substantially lower in less developed countries. The associated reduction of the damage due to conventional air pollution is higher in the richer countries in both absolute and relative terms. The costs of climatic change are relatively higher (but absolute lower) in the developing countries. Prime impacts are on agriculture (in the developing world) and human health (highly valued in the developed world). Costs of emission reduction and climatic change are joined in a nine region, quasi-Ramsey, integrated climate-economy model, called FUND (Climate Framework for Uncertainty, Negotiation and Distribution). The first calculations with this model show that the (hardly known) dynamics of climate change and the great uncertainties play a critical role, that free riding behaviour need not be as prominent a problem as is generally believed, and that international capital transfers do not seem to substantially influence the optimal emission control, as the regions most interested in climate change do not have much capital to transfer. Negotiated emission caps are likely to alter this conclusion. 3 figs., 1 tab., 16 refs

[en] Addressing the question what the probability is of an anthropogenically induced change in the climate, leads to a number of other, underlying questions. These questions, which deal with the characteristics of climate, of climatic change, and of probabilistic statements on climatic change, should be addressed first. The long-term objective of the underlying study, i.e. a quantitative assessment of the risks and opportunities of the predicted climatic change, sets the context against which of those questions should be answered. In addition, this context induces extra questions, i.e. about the characteristics of risk

[en] In the domain of environmental policy, the Dutch authorities have changed their course in the mid-1980s towards an integrated approach. As a result, several reports and trends, in which policy recommendations are given for specific target groups and types and pollution, have been adopted. The objective of this paper is, therefore, twofold. First, the authors sketch the background studies and the context of the discussion that took place in The Netherlands in the last decade. Then, the authors detail and assess actual policy measures taken or soon to be taken

[en] This compact dictionary discusses the protection of humans, animals and vegetation, soil, water and atmosphere and of cultural and other assets against anthropogenic nuisances, e.g. air pollution, noise, vibrations and non-ionizing radiation (from the low-frequency to the optical range). It informs on emission sources and emission reduction measures, transmission processes and immission phenomena and effects which may turn into hazards or nuisances. The accident problem of hazardous plants is gone into. The book contains about 1000 entries, which were selected under the aspect of practical applicability. The explanations are supplemented by many illustrations and tables. As a special user aid, there is also an index in English. A bibliography is presented for further reading. (orig.)