Interactions between Air Quality and Climate Change policies

European Union started to deal with air pollution as a priority since the late 1970s and in 1996 the first framework directive on ambient air quality assessment and management was approved. In the same period, many Countries joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) with the aim of limiting the increase of global temperature and in 1997 the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, establishing emission reduction targets for the gases mainly responsible for global warming. Higher temperatures and concentrations of some greenhouse gases have also a role in air pollution and their possible impacts on human health and the environment are to be considered; at the same time some air pollutants, such as ozone and particulate matter, can influence climate changes. Sometimes the measures to reduce air pollution can also have a good impact on temperatures and vice versa; but this synergy is not always verified. It is therefore really important to assure that all policies cooperate in order to achieve good results in both sectors.