Summaries for Interlinkages
Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution
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The Convention Secretariat:
Address:
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE),
Environment and Human Settlements Division,
Palais des Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: (+41-22) 917-2370 or (+41-22) 917-2354
Fax:(+41-22) 917-0107
Email: air.env@unece.org
Web: http://www.unece.org/env/env_eb.htm
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Brief
Objectives |
The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution is one of the main means of protecting our environment. It was drafted after scientists demonstrated the
link between sulphur emissions in continental Europe and the acidification of Scandinavian lakes and later studies confirmed that air pollutants could travel several
thousand kilometres before deposition and damage occurred. This implied that cooperation at international level was necessary to solve problems such as
acidification. The Convention was the first internationally legally binding instrument to deal with problems of air pollution on a broad regional basis. It was signed in
1979 and entered into force in 1983. It has greatly contributed to the development of international environmental law and created the essential framework for
controlling and reducing the damage to human health and the environment of transboundary air pollution. It is a successful example of what can be achieved through
intergovernmental cooperation.
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