Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-12-10-Speech-1-112"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20071210.17.1-112"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Today we are discussing at second reading two important directives on improving the quality of the environment. One relates to the sea, the other to the air. Protection of the air is one of the key and most traditional areas of environmental protection, because ambient air quality and human health are directly linked. As the Commission has said, life expectancy has shortened in the EU by 8.5 months owing to air pollution. The quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people is declining daily, and the natural environment is under threat, despite significant reductions in emissions in recent years. The importance of the air quality directive probably cannot be stressed too much: it brings together a set of norms which were previously dispersed, and this is a better approach to the problem all round.
I wish first of all to thank the Council for meeting Parliament to discuss some important issues. Almost half the amendments adopted at first reading were accepted overall. The Council eventually showed its support for certain very crucial amendments by Parliament. These related to replacing certain target values for particle concentrations with binding limit values, the deadlines for doing this and how they would be applied. The limit value norm for PM2.5 particles, which are the most harmful to human health, is critically important.
We therefore need an extremely strict directive. Mere limit values, however, are not enough in themselves. Attention also needs to be paid to techniques which improve ambient air quality."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples