A pilot to showcase the interaction of National public authorities with the European Atmospheric Research Facilities

Air pollution persists as a major urban pressure for citizens, in conjunction with climate change impacts on health and the environment. Following the latest WHO recommendations for air quality (2009), the European Union has now revised the Ambient Air Quality Directive, introducing -among others- the monitoring of emerging pollutants, such as ultrafine particles, black carbon and the volatile organic compounds. The human power of the observational platforms of the key European atmospheric networks (e.g. ACTRIS, ICOS) has long-term experience and expertise in dealing with these pollutants. The trans-national access of public authorities to this knowledge and infrastructure is key to unlock their potential to meet the emerging official obligations. This case study has been based on a systematic effort to explore user needs and provider capacities with respect to the atmospheric environment, as surveilled by the authorities and studied by the research community in Europe. The liaison between key stakeholder and observational networks, in the frame of the ATMO-ACCESS project, has enabled the identification of user requirements and of provider opportunities, as well as the favorable modalities of access. The study culminated in a targeted, trans-national series of remote training activities, which accommodated more than 100 participants representing around 70 public authorities around the globe. Insights and lessons learned from the yearlong engagement process and the dedicated pilot implementation will be shared during the conference.