Summary of Recent Progress and Recommendations for Future Research Regarding the Mediterranean Context and Atmospheric Pollutants Distribution

Abstract

This conclusion summarizes the state and variability of Mediterranean air pollution. This volume reflects on the Mediterranean context impacting the atmospheric chemistry (Part I ), the dynamical conditions (II), the distribution, variability, and trends of aerosols (III), and reactive gases (IV). It highlights the region as a “hotspot” in terms of air pollution, sumarizing long-term research efforts made since the 1960s and strengthened in the last decade through the Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment (ChArMEx). ChArMEx has been the largest so far research project in the region on atmospheric pollution and its impacts and facilitated international experiments that combined multiyear monitoring and field measurement campaigns, satellite observations as well as modeling approaches. The spatial and temporal variabilities of atmospheric chemical composition and the understanding of interlinks between air quality, atmospheric dynamic processes, and climate change are addressed. Major results evidence the efficiency of air pollution regulations put in place in the last 20 years. Some topics require further research and include the origin of the secondary pollutants, the trends and future evolution of mineral dust transport, the evolution of the atmospheric circulation, and the impact of very long-distance source areas on the state of the atmospheric composition in the Mediterranean.

Chapter reviewed by Oksana Tarasova (Atmospheric Environment Research Division, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 7bis Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland) and commented by Jos Lelieveld (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC), Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55125 Mainz, Germany, and Cyprus Institute, 20 Konstantinou Kavafi Street, 2121 Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus).