CON+AIR, is an EPA funded research project that explores the challenges that arise where climate policy CONflicts with AIR (CON+AIR) policy, carried out by the Dublin-based research consultancy EnvEcon, and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research.

The project builds upon prior research by EnvEcon addressing the tensions that can arise between climate and air policy in an Irish context, whilst also drawing on international experiences, in particular those in Norway where the Norwegian Institute for Air Research plays a critical role in assessing similar issues and designing effective solutions. Norway is an interesting case to follow as they have a similar population size to Ireland and one ‘big’ city but more importantly as they have recent experience with different tax based incentivisation programmes for automobiles and a long tradition of biomass burning.

The CON+AIR research project will frame the potential scale of the climate-air conflict issue in Ireland with a new scenario, and will then embark upon stakeholder engagement and research across the International community to build the most promising menu of technical and non-technical options to mitigate those potential air-climate tensions. The team will utilise the GAINS model and in-house fleet modelling capacities of EnvEcon as part of the scenario and option evaluation. To complement this the Norwegian Institute for Air Research will provide concentration modelling expertise using the EMEP model at the national scale and the EPISODE model for city scale.

Currently the work of the project is focused on assembling data an assumptions for the scenario and keeping up to date with research and technological and political developments in the World of climate and air policy.

The project runs from May 2017 to April 2019. A kick-off meeting of the project steering group was held in August 2017. The steering committee comprises of

 

PROJECT PARTNERS

PROJECT FUNDERS