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UN regional group
- African Group
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Year
Ambient Air Quality Standards
- In a legislative or legislatively empowered instrument
Responsibility for air quality standards
- National government
- State/provincial government
- Local government
- Shared responsibility
Indoor Air Quality Standards
- Yes
Type of instrument
- Primary legislation
- Other primary legislation
- Secondary legislation
- Policy linked to the legislative framework
- More than one
Nature of legal obligations
- Duty to meet AAQS (Binding legislative obligation on the state)
- Duty to take BPM to meet standard
- Escalating duty to take action (if AQ worsens)
- Duty to report to public authority
- Duty to plan for achieving AAQS
- Emergency planning requirements for dangerous AQ levels
Exceedances
- Generally allowed exceedances
- Other allowed exceedances (emergency reasons/natural events)
Compliance with WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2005)
-
PM2.5 (10 μg/m3 annual mean 25 μg/m3 24-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.
- PM10 (20 μg/m3 annual mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- PM10 (50 μg/m3 24-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- Ozone (100 μg/m3 8-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- NO2 (40 μg/m3 annual mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- NO2 (200 μg/m3 1-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- SO2 (20 μg/m3 24-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- SO2 (500 μg/m3 10-minute mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- Newly acknowledged pollutants
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.Legal requirement to monitor
Procedural and substantive rights
- Public right to air quality data (including general right to environmental information)
- Legal right to participate in setting AAQS in legislation
- Legal right to participate in devising air quality plans or actions in legislation
- Legal rights of access to justice (linked directly to air quality framework)
Legal coordination of policy to achieve AAQS
- Legal link between air quality standards and decision-making on projects
- Legally mandated policy coordination for air quality
Enforcement mechanisms
- Criminal
- Civil
- Administrative
- Bespoke enforcement mechanism
- Multi-level governance mechanism (eg EU Commission)
Provisions for transboundary air pollution
- Yes
Showing 31 - 40 of 71 resultsLegislation | 2010 |Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandUnited Kingdom Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 Statutory Instrument 1001 of 2010 Commenced on 11 June 2010 [This is the version of this document at 1 March 2024.] The Secretary of State, having been designated M1 for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 M2 in relation to the environment, makes the following Regulations under the powers conferred by that section...Decreto 22 - Establece Norma de Calidad Secundaria de Aire para Anhídrido Sulfuroso (SO2).| 2010 |Regulation
ChileEl documento establece una norma secundaria de calidad de aire para el dióxido de azufre (SO2) en Chile, con el objetivo de proteger los recursos naturales y la salud pública frente a los efectos adversos de este contaminante. En el contexto de la Ley sobre Bases Generales del Medio Ambiente, se busca actualizar y mejorar la normativa existente, introduciendo criterios de percentiles para la...
KeywordsSulphur dioxideRegulation on Reduction and Prevention of Air Pollution.| 2009 |Regulation
AfghanistanThis Regulation is enacted to establish the goals for reduction and prevention of air pollution, prevention of damages to the human beings and environment by the high risk air pollution and prevention of spread and distribution of changing elements of the physical and chemical structure of air. The Regulation identifies the air polluting elements including automobiles and motoring vehicles...
KeywordsAir pollution, Legislation, Industrial sources, Concentration-based standardsLegislation | 2009 |National Ambient Air Quality Standards
IndiaIndia Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 National Ambient Air Quality Standards Published on 18 November 2009 Commenced [This is the version of this document from 18 November 2009.] No.B-29016/20/90/PCI-L—In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (2) (h) of section 16 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (Act No. 14 of 1981), and in super session of...Decreto Nº 5 - Normas ambientales de emisiones de fuentes fijas.| 2009 |Regulation
PanamaEl presente Decreto tiene por objeto establecer los límites máximos permisibles de emisiones al aire producidas por fuentes fijas con el fin de proteger de la contaminación atmosférica la salud de la población, los recursos naturales y la calidad del ambiente.
KeywordsNitrogen dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur dioxide, Elemental carbon, Sulphur oxidesLegislation | 2009 |National Ambient Air Quality Standards
South AfricaSouth Africa National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 National Ambient Air Quality Standards Government Notice 1210 of 2009 Published in Government Gazette 32816 on 24 December 2009 Commenced on 24 December 2009 [This is the version of this document from 24 December 2009.] I, Buyelwa Patience Sonjica, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, in terms of section 9(1) of the Act...Regulation on air quality assessment and management.| 2008 |Regulation
TurkeyThis Regulation sets forth principles and objectives concerning air quality so as to avoid or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole. It lays down provisions governing the assessment of air quality on the basis of defined methods and criteria. Furthermore, it defines procedures to obtain adequate information on air quality and ensure that it is made available to the...
KeywordsConcentration-based standards, Legislation, Air quality, PM10, PM2.5, Nitrogen dioxide, Air quality modelling, Sulphur dioxide, Particulate matter, Benzo(a)pyreneEnforcement Decree of the Clean Air Conservation Act (Presidential Decree No. 20383 of 2007).| 2007 |Regulation
Republic of KoreaThis Decree implements provisions of the Clean Air Conservation Act. It provides among other things for: areas subject to air pollution alert; measures for the prevention of damage caused by yellow dust; composition of the Yellow Dust Prevention Committee; installation of emission facilities; emission of pollutants dues; the use of low-sulfur oil, clean fuel and solid fuel; regulations on volatile...
KeywordsAir pollution, Enforcement, Industrial sources, Pollutants, Concentrations, Legislation, Permitting, Volatile organic compounds, Inspection, Air quality monitoring, Concentration-based standards, Sulphur oxides, Air quality, Compliance, Ozone, PM10, PM2.5, Air quality modelling, Burning, Nitrogen oxidesDécret exécutif n° 06-02 définissant les valeurs limites, les seuils d’alerte et les objectifs de qualité de l’air en cas de pollution atmosphérique.| 2006 |Regulation
AlgeriaLe présent décret a pour objet de définir les valeurs limites, les seuils d’alerte et les objectifs de qualité de l’air en cas de pollution atmosphérique. La surveillance de la qualité de l’air concerne les substances suivantes: - le dioxyde d’azote; - le dioxyde de soufre; - l’ozone; - les particules fines en suspension. La détention et l’utilisation des sources de rayonnements ionisants sont...
KeywordsConcentrations, OzonePagination
- PM10 (20 μg/m3 annual mean)