- Show enhanced digital format versions only
Search Global Air Quality Laws
Country
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- European Union
- Finland
- France
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Paraguay
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Korea
- Republic of Moldova
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Switzerland
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Timor-Leste
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
UN regional group
- African Group
- Asia and the Pacific Group
- Eastern European Group
- Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
- Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
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 71 - 80 of 111 resultsLegislation | 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...Clean Air Ordinance.| 2008 |Regulation
LiechtensteinThe present Ordinance implements the Environment Protection Act of 29 May 2008. In particular, the Ordinance shall protect human beings, animals, plants and their organized communities, as well as the soil against harmful and annoying air pollution. Moreover, the Ordinance shall reduce green house gas emissions. The text consists of 34 articles divided into 5 Parts as follows: General provisions...
KeywordsAir pollution, Nitrogen dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxides, PM10, PM2.5, Benzene, Zones, Zoning, Sulphur dioxide, Sulphur oxidesLegislation | 2007 |Environmental Management (Air Quality Standards) Regulations, 2007
United Republic of TanzaniaTanzania Environmental Management Act, 2004 Environmental Management (Air Quality Standards) Regulations, 2007 Government Notice 237 of 2007 Published on 1 January 2007 Commenced on 1 January 2007 [This is the version of this document from 1 January 2007.] Part I – Preliminary provisions 1. Citation These Regulations may be cited as the Environmental Management (Air Quality Standards) Regulations...Air Quality (Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air) Regulations, 2007 (P.I. 111/2007).| 2007 |Regulation
CyprusThe objectives of this Directive shall be to: (a) establish a target value for the concentration of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and benzo(a)pyrene in ambient air so as to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on human health and the environment as a whole; (b) ensure, with respect to arsenic, cadmium, nickel and polycyclic aromatic...
KeywordsPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Ambient air, Air quality, Concentrations, Legislation, Future standards, 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 oxidesCabinet Decree No.12 of 2006 concerning the Protection of Air from Pollution.| 2006 |Regulation
United Arab EmiratesThis Decree consisting of 16 articles and VIII Annexes establishes that (i) the emission or the leakage of the gaseous and solid pollutants and vapors to the ambient air shall not exceed the maximum allowable limits; (ii) car and vehicle emissions may not exceed the maximum allowable limits; (iii) during the combustion of any sort of hydrocarbon fuels for any purposes, smoke, gases, and vapor...
KeywordsPollutants, Air pollution, Industrial sources, Concentration-based standards, Legislation, Burning, Ambient air, Air quality monitoring, Zoning, Monitoring stations, Permitting, Public health, Concentrations, Compliance, Benzene, Fixed point sources, Workers, Waste burning, Ambient air quality standardsResolution No. 4 of 2005 by the Chairperson of the Supreme Council of the Environment and Natural Reserves (SCENR) issuing executive bylaw for law No. 30 of 2002 on environment protection.| 2005 |Regulation
QatarThis Resolution consisting of 93 articles divided into 4 Chapters sets out requirements and expectations in respect of environmental management and waste management. Under this By-Law, industries should develop their environmental monitoring programs for atmospheric, aqueous, and solid waste discharges. Articles 4 - 20 regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment follow these main steps (i) the...
KeywordsEnvironmental impact assessments, Air quality monitoring, PermittingDecree on limit values for levels and types of pollutants in ambient air and alert thresholds, deadlines for reaching limit values, margins and tolerance for limit value, target values and long-term goals.| 2005 |Regulation
North MacedoniaThis Decree, based on the provisions of the Law on ambient air quality, prescribes limit values for levels and types of pollutants in the ambient air and sets alert thresholds, deadlines for reaching these limit values, tolerance margins for limit values, target values and long-term ozone targets. Target values for ozone are levels of ozone concentrations in ambient air which are fixed in order to...
KeywordsAmbient air, Concentration-based standards, Concentrations, Air quality, Future standards, Ozone, Pollutants, Alert thresholds, Air quality monitoring, Agglomerations, Zones, Zoning, Air quality plans, Ambient air pollutionRegulation No. 28 of 2005 on air protection.| 2005 |Regulation
JordanThe aim of this Regulation is to protect the air against pollution. This Regulation is composed of 15 articles. Articles 1 and 2 deal with terms and definitions. Article 3 imposes upon all establishments and installations the respect of maximum emission levels of air pollutants. Article 4 entrusts the Ministry of Environment to classify the installations producing air pollutants. Article 6 defines...
KeywordsLegislationPagination
- PM10 (20 μg/m3 annual mean)