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7th International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes, Belgirate, 28th-31st May 2001

The environmental impact of industrial and human activities must be assessed at the planning stage (EU-directive 85/337/EEC). It is clear that for predicting the impact of atmospheric emissions on the local air quality, atmospheric transport and dispersion models must be used. Only models allow the decision-maker to build up a number of scenarios, in which the various steps in the formation of the environmental load can be easily simulated, changed and studied. The EU framework directive on air quality (96/62/EC) calls for modelling as one of the methods for assessing air quality and it emphasises the need for common methods for air quality assessments. Accordingly, there is a need for the European countries to build upon the experiences of each other and to harmonise model development in some respects.

The 7th International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes of Belgirate (28th-31st May 2001) can be considered as an important milestone, even if the Conference and the Harmonisation program is at the moment mainly restricted to modelling on an local scale. Since in June 2001 it is exactly 10 years since the JRC called for a meeting to promote information sharing and possible harmonisation of new approaches to atmospheric dispersion modelling and model evaluation. This initiative has fostered a series of conferences that have been concerned with improvement of the "modelling culture" in Europe.

During the opening session two invited papers were presented. The paper of Dr Helge R. Olesen (NERI, Denmark; who has been Chairman of the Harmonisation Activity since the beginning) gave an overview of the ten years of Harmonisation of atmospheric dispersion modelling systems and discussed the results that have been achieved in the past, the present situation and what can be done in the future.

The contribution of Dr Marion Wichmann-Fiebig (EC, DG-Env) addressed the interest the EC has in the Harmonisation of atmospheric dispersion modelling systems. The legislative background of Air Quality and the role that dispersion models play in environmental legislation were discussed.

In Session 1: Validation and inter-comparison of models, model evaluation methodology, 15 presentations were hosted. Among them only a few were on the subject of the evaluation methodology; others referred more specifically to short-range model inter-comparison or model validation. In the session two mesoscale model inter-comparison studies were included for the cities of Milan and Lyon, whilst the last two papers described the experimental data-sets usable for atmospheric models and data processing approach. The posters treated the subject of validation with applications in several fields. The poster subjects vary in terms either type of data to be used for model validation or validation kits for evaluating model results.

In Session 2: Regulatory models, Country review, papers that describe usual model applications for regulatory purposes at Country level were hosted. In this sense, only part of the presentations was strictly pertaining to the session. To this it was intended to add a paper indicating how complex terrain prevents the use of simple models for regulatory purposes. The remaining presentations were dealing with industrial emission control and pollution prevention in various countries. The country review was dealing with two posters tackling the problem of model application by industry f or real cases and model accuracy with respect to EU directives.

In Session 3: Short distance dispersion modelling, several papers dealt with different aspects of short-distance dispersion modelling, from neural net filter, to a mixed spectral-similarity theory, to the prediction of concentration fluctuations, to the air quality data effect on PBL, to odour dispersion and terrain amplification factors. The other presentations not indicated in this list dealt with a modelling system for industrial accidents, ozone predictions in Athens and air quality simulation in the city of Krakow. The short-distance dispersion modelling presented by the posters of the session spread over a wide range of subjects, from dispersion of very specified releases such as in the proximity of lead-work to dispersion in wind-tunnel over roads and physical obstacles. Detailed simulation of residual layer was also presented in the poster session.

In Session 4: Urban scale and street canyon modelling, twelve presentations were accommodated. Part of them was describing simulation studies at urban level including the preparation of meteorological input data. The majority of the presentations however dealt more specifically with pollutant dispersion in street canyon. The eight posters shared their interest between urban and street level simulation. They dealt with the problem of complex urban topography and its effects on the flow and dispersion and the problem of emission and dispersion in urban roads and streets.

Session 5: Meso-scale and air quality modelling, was the largest session in the Conference, indicating the vast interest of the modelling community to this scale and their wishes to furnish decision-makers with results for regulatory purposes. The selected presentations dealt with development of flow and dispersion modelling systems as well as application of existing model to con-urban regions. In this group, pattern of radio-nuclides in the environment is also fostered by two presentations. The remaining papers dealt with simulation of diffusion experiment, meso-scale fluxes and PBL parameter estimation. The mesoscale air quality problem was presented in this poster session with two aspects: the first is associated to the dispersion of anthropogenic emissions at mesoscale from industrial facilities and natural emissions from volcanoes, as well as the effect of topography circulation in the alpine region.

Session 6: Environmental impact assessment: Air pollution management and Decision-support systems dealt with air quality management systems that are presently used by a number of municipalities in Europe. One presentation treated the case of the concentration limitations demanded by the EU directives, another one studied the exposure to population. A paper dealt specifically with the problems of land use and transportation investment on the air quality levels in two regions of the USA. There were presentations on decision support systems for emergencies and others on impact assessment. The posters of this session were presenting systems for a support to decision making in several areas of air pollution ranging from urban sites, industrial regions and nuclear accidents.

A panel discussion ended the conference, which was very successful with about 200 participants coming mainly from Europe but, e.g., from USA and Japan as well. In such discussion the need of a harmonised model evaluation methodology as well as a harmonised group of data sets available for model evaluation was highlighted.

Next conference will be take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, in October 2002.

       
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