Project Portugal 2030

Summary

The challenge: In Portugal, there is a systemic issue regarding the assessment and management of air quality, particularly in the domain of high-resolution air quality modeling. While air quality reporting and compliance practices are predominantly performed based on modeling at the regional scale, or on observations from the monitoring network, when it comes to the urban scale the level of excellence is lacking. This scale is crucial as it is where higher pollutant concentrations prevail, and population exposure is most pronounced. This limitation not only hampers the capacity of the nation’s environmental agencies and research institutions to furnish comprehensive air quality information to their stakeholders but also constrains their ability to formulate and implement effective air quality improvement strategies. SWIFT-AIR will elevate the UAveiro team’s role in facilitating informed policy decisions, enhancing its research capabilities, and increasing its international visibility while strengthening its expertise and resources in high-resolution urban air quality modeling. Overall Objective: SWIFT-AIR will strengthen the Portuguese air quality management capacity, ensuring the effective implementation of the current and future EU Ambient Air Quality Directives, thereby contributing to the implementation of the European Green Deal. SWIFT-AIR is committed to empowering the air quality management agencies with the requisite knowledge and resources essential to enhance their operational capabilities, enabling them to address the challenges linked to the ambitious EU clean air goals. To achieve this overarching objective, the following sub-objectives (SO) are pursued: SO1: Enhancing the capacity of UAveiro researchers to apply and customize a high-resolution operational air quality modeling system in various Portuguese cities. The accurate characterization of the air quality at meter-scale resolution will facilitate the efficient implementation of mitigation strategies by local stakeholders and improve Portugal’s reporting obligations outlined in the AAQD. SO2: SWIFT-AIR will provide cutting-edge tools, methodologies, and expertise to empower the UAveiro researchers to perform pioneering research and enhance their competitiveness in the national and European landscapes of HRAQM. SO3: SWIFT-AIR will equip the UAveiro team with the ability to provide highly detailed air quality information to authorities, citizens, and stakeholders. This will enhance awareness and accelerate the decision-making process to tackle air quality issues. The outcomes of the SWIFT-AIR project encompass multiple dimensions. Scientifically, the project will generate new insights and knowledge that go beyond the state-of-the-art residential emissions modeling, contributing to advancements in the understanding and management of air quality. From an economic perspective, the project aims to reduce the burden due to adverse health impacts of air pollution. By implementing effective mitigation measures and fostering improvements in air quality, SWIFT-AIR seeks to reduce healthcare costs associated with air pollution-related illnesses. On a policy level, the project endeavors to enhance assessment tools for air quality management across Portugal. At a societal level, the goal of the project is to promote clean air and minimize the health impacts of air pollution, leading to healthier citizens and communities.