Development of urban air quality plans and measures in Madrid (Spain) under a multi-scale air quality modeling approach

Abstract

Poor urban air quality is one of the main environmental concerns worldwide. According to WHO (WHO, 2014) outdoor air pollution caused 3.7 million premature deaths in 2012, most of them in urban areas where both, emission sources and population concentrate. Even in Europe, despite of significant efforts, exceedances of air quality standards are common in large urban areas, particularly for NO2 (EEA, 2014). Therefore, tackling urban air quality constitutes a pressing priority from the social and political point of view. However, air pollution dynamics in urban environments is extremely complex and the design and assessment of effective emission abatement plans and measures posses a major scientific challenge. Emissions of different pollutants from a variety of sources interact through intertwined atmospheric transport processes and chemical transformations involving several spatial and temporal scales. In this context, air quality modelling constitutes an essential research tool for understanding and simulating the potential effect of emission abatement measures as well as to identify the best course of action to improve air quality in cities. This contribution reflects on the inherent complexities of urban air pollution and the development of air quality plans for the Madrid city as a representative case study.