Pollution Control and the European Union - Case Study Example

Full title topic The paper aims to describe the steps taken by the European Union till 1970 to augment the environment of the Europe. According to this paper, the air pollution and water pollution is the major issues that the union are trying to solve. Moreover, different strategies and legislations are given by this paper that will show that how European Union is working for the beings belonging to this world. When taking social and environmental responsibilities in consideration, than pollution will be prior to first position as it remain an important issue for every being in the world. The reason is that this pollution is not only affecting directly on beings health but also contributing a lot in destroying the resources for beings. Though, it is a global problem but European Union is considering this area since 1970. Air pollution, water pollution, land pollution and noise pollution together constitute a major problem all over the world. Especially air pollution is compelling the European Union to take steps in order to minimize the air pollution that affecting the ozone layer. European Union since 1970 is trying to achieve an instrument that can enhance the air quality. They are taking steps to control the emission from mobile sources, trying to improve the quality of fuel and also promoting the transport and energy sector to improve the quality of air. European Union has launched environmental action program which ahs developed legislation and according to this legislation different rules and laws are to be obeyed by industrialist and by the individuals. This community has developed different NGO’s that are also controlling the air pollution across the border line. European Union has developed an emissions trading administrative approach that is enable to protect the environment from the pollution by providing economic incentives, these incentives are provided in order to reduce the emissions of pollution. The second name of this approach is cap and trade. The central authority is given to a group of people who limit the cap on the amount of pollution that a single industry can emit. Companies and group of people are allowed to emit a certain amount of pollution on which they have to pay a certain amount of allowances and this allowances actually shows the right o emit a certain amount of pollution. If the companies need to emit more pollution that they are required to buy credits from those who use to pollute less. This transfer of allowances for pollution within the industries is specially known as trade. In this simple case, European Union are actually impacting a charge on those who are emitting the pollution and rewarding those who are actually trying to reduce the pollution. European Union is trying to enhance the use of greenhouse gases and direct carbon tax. Now a days carbon trading is more used by the European Union than the carbon tax. Moreover, the union has developed millennium development goals and according to these goals they have to achieve zero carbon till 2010. Davis, Devra (2002) stated that European Union launched their very first policy in 1971 and since than the union remains powerful in launching different strategies and policies for acid rain, ozone layer and for all types of pollutions. They have launched water framework directive that basically deals in water pollution whose aim is to provide the good quality water through rivers, lakes and ground and coastal water. According to this framework the good quality will be provided by 2015 as different legislations and laws are issued that will keep enhancing the quality of water. European Union has developed a special laws and legislation especially for the shipping industries in which all the import and export through water has to maintain the water quality by trying to reduce the pollution. The union has provided special legislations for oil import and export and according to this special containers and special precautionary measures should be taken while exporting and importing oil. John McCormick (2005) stated that for wild life protection, union has developed Natura 2000 program that is covering 30,000 sites all around the Europe. Their main mission is to save the wild life so that the enchantment and augmentation in the forestry remain high. The wild life is provided with better shelters and resources as these really help in reducing the pollution. They union has block different construction programs which are directly and indirectly affecting the wild life. Desmond Dinan (2004) stated that European Union has developed REACH regulation and according to this regualtion30, 000 chemical are tested each day in order to know that which chemical can affect the environment of the world. In 2006, the European Union has developed “toxic waste spill off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire” which is specially a European ship. This is actually trying to promote the legislation regarding toxic waste. The Europe with the help of Spain is now trying to launch criminal regulations that are against the toxic waste in the water. These criminals who will conduct the toxic waste will be known as “ecological Criminal” and thus they will be given a strict punishment. This toxic waste is actually destroying the aquatic life. Beychok, Milton R. (1967) stated that energy itself is a biggest problem as this chemical and mechanical energy is trying to destruct the environment of the world. That is the reason that now different companies are provided with legislation and according to this they have to minimized the use of energy so that they together can protect the environment of the world. Beychok, Milton R. (January 1987). Stated that the union has specially developed legislations for the construction companies and for energy producing companies to avoid the maximum sue of energy. In 2007, the union ahs decided to renew the energy up to 20% in the future that will directly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide. If this process will keep on processing then by 2020 the European Union will be able to reduce the 20% of carbon dioxide as compared to the levels in 1990. Also the L. Gari (2002) argued that European Union is trying to launch the use of bio fuels till 2020 as this bio fuel will help the transport to emit less pollution and carbon dioxide. The industrialized regions are compelled to start a fight on global warming as this global warming will soon destroy the whole world. Nicholas Moussis (2007) stated that in 2007, the European Union has held a climate change conference and they deal successfully with the Kyoto Protocol and according to this protocol the European Union has to reduce its greenhouse gasses up to 50% till 2050. The European Union ahs summarized different legislation for the growth of forest in the area of Europe that will directly groom the better environment and for this they are trying to cut their carbon footprint. Europe has successfully grown 10% of forest in Western Europe and 15% in Eastern Europe. During this period the Europe has successfully soaked the 126 million metric of carbon dioxide. Different programs that are launched by the European Union are 1. The CAFE Programme/ implementation of the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution According to this strategy of Europe the air pollution is restricted by consuming less amount of energy by the industries. They have launched legislation for different types of industries that actually trying to emit more pollution with time. 2. Ambient Air Quality According to this strategy of Europe, the Europe is trying to launch different types of instruments that can enhance the quality of the air. These instrument swill be used to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and moreover, the acid rain is also stopped by these instruments. Though, still the scientists are not able to invent such instrument but union is spending huge amount in such instrument. 3. New Air Quality Proposal A new proposal is provided by the union and in which different rules are govern for the sake of environmental health. 4. Existing Air Quality Legislation The existing air quality legislation is enhanced and augmented by the union and according to this they have to reduce the carbon dioxide from the environment till 2020 5. Implementation of existing AQ legislation Still different legislations are under observation and union is trying to implement new strategies under this head. 6. Meetings & Workshops - Different meetings and workshops are introduced by the union that are trying o enhance the environment across the border line. Though, different programs are launched by union till 1970, and much more they have gained. But still much improvement is required by the union to develop a better environment for the country and world. Therefore, the union ahs developed different strategies that can help the union to gain a pure and cleaned environment till 2020. Thus the union is trying to enhance the trade and industries that are actually playing a role model in increasing the pollution. This is the reason that they have launched a trade system to reduce the pollution. The European Union is trying to save the world by saving the natural resources like wild life and forest that are actually participating in saving the real beauty of the world. If this pollution will carry on, then a day will reach the world will be destroyed, therefore, its duty of every one to save the world. References Beychok, Milton R. (1967). Aqueous Wastes from Petroleum and Petrochemical Plants, 1st Edition, John Wiley & Sons. LCCN 67019834 Beychok, Milton R. (January 1987). "A data base for dioxin and furan emissions from refuse incinerators". Atmospheric Environment 21 (1): 29-36. ISSN 0004-6981 L. Gari (2002), "Arabic Treatises on Environmental Pollution up to the End of the Thirteenth Century", Environment and History 8 (4), pp. 475-488. Nicholas Moussis (2007) “European Union: law, economics, policies” (European Study Service, 16th ed.) Desmond Dinan “A History of European Union” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004) John McCormick (2005) “Understanding the European Union” (Palgrave Macmillan, 3rd edition) Davis, Devra (2002). “When Smoke Ran Like Water: Tales of Environmental Deception and the Battle Against Pollution”. Read More