Numerical modelling for air quality assessment and management

Ristret

Air quality is nowadays one of the main environmental concerns both for its impact on human health and for its effect on global climate. An effective approach to tackling this problem is represented by the paradigm think global, act local, since a significant amount of direct and indirect emissions are tightly related to very local activities, such as local transport and household management. This cascade of scales poses severe constraints on governance instruments, which have to be capable to follow the general guidelines issued at continental level and, at the same time, need to devise effective measures capable to produce the desired effects on a local level. A valid aid for this complex task is represented by numerical modelling. By using numerical simulations it is possible to test in silico the effects of possible measures and to evaluate their cost-benefits ratio and their potential trade-offs. Apart from assessment, numerical models provide a fundamental tool to forecast potentially hazardous episodes, helping to identify the set of short-term actions that can mitigate the risky situation.