The Development Papers Series of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia (ESCAP-SSWA) promotes and disseminates policy-relevant research on the development challenges facing South and South-West Asia. It features policy research conducted at ESCAP-SSWA as well as by outside experts from within the subregion and beyond. The objec...

America's national parks "are the best idea we ever had." So said Pulitzer Prize- winning American author Wallace Stegner. A new survey suggests Americans also consider the National Park Service (both the parks, and the associated programs of the agency which runs them) to be of the most valuable assets we ever had - worth some $92 billion a year.The present paper describes the results of the surv...

This document presents the design and results of a study conducted for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, and the University of Colorado concerning the estimation of preservation values held by the general public for the protection of visibility at national parks from air pollution impacts. ...

Air pollution has considerable impact on the natural environment via processes such as eutrophication of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, acidification of soils and freshwaters, and direct toxicity effects of ground level ozone. These ecological impacts affect supporting ecosystem services, with consequent effects on final provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services, and the goods ...

The IMPROVE algorithm for estimating light extinction was adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the basis for the regional haze metric used to track progress in reducing haze levels for visibility protected areas under the 1999 Regional Haze Rule (RHR).  The RHR uses the IMPROVE algorithm to estimate light extinction, which is then converted to the deciview haze index.&...

The annual, accumulated stomatal ozone uptake during the vegetation season, i.e. the species-specific Phytotoxic Ozone Dose above a threshold of 1.0 nmol m-2 s-1, POD1SPEC, was estimated for European forest tree plant functional types for the years 2008–2012. These POD1SPEC estimates were based on ozone concentrations simulated with the EMEP CTM model in combination with stomatal ozone uptake esti...

One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.It recognizes that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent.While health, food, water, energy and environment are all wider topics with sector-specific concern...

Researchers are exploring the dynamic interrelationships between natural ecosystems and air quality—advancing our understanding of how air pollution can negatively impact forests, lakes, and other natural ecosystems and the benefits they provide.A robust body of research links the negative impacts that air pollution can have on natural ecosystems. For example: pollutants such as sulfur can lead to...

The European Commission zero pollution action plan aims to reduce ecosystems at risk of eutrophication caused by atmospheric nitrogen deposition by 25% in the European Union by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. The total area where nitrogen deposition exceeded the alleged critical loads for eutrophication - the parameter that measures such a risk - fell by 13% between 2005 and 2022. Initiatives such ...

Ground-level ozone adversely affects human health, vegetation and ecosystems across Europe. This leads to premature deaths, decreased crop yields and forest growth, and loss of biodiversity. In 2023, 12.5% of Europe’s agricultural lands were exposed to ozone levels above the threshold value set for the protection of vegetation in the EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directives. In addition, the long-term ...