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Air quality transcends all scales with in the atmosphere from the local to the global with handovers and feedbacks at each scale interaction. Air quality has manifold effects on health, ecosystems, heritage and climate. In this review the state of scientific understanding in relation to global and regional air quality is outlined. The review discusses air quality, in terms of emissions, processing and transport of trace gases and aerosols. New insights into the characterization of both natural and anthropogenic emissions are reviewed looking at both natural (e.g. dust and lightning) as well as plant emissions. Trends in anthropogenic emissions both by region and globally are discussed as well as biomass burning emissions. In terms of chemical processing the major air quality elements of ozone, non-methane hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and aerosols are covered. A number of topics are presented as a way of integrating the process view into the atmospheric context; these include the atmospheric oxidation efficiency, halogen and HOx chemistry, nighttime chemistry, tropical chemistry, heat waves, megacities, biomass burning and the regional hot spot of the Mediterranean. New findings with respect to the transport of pollutants across the scales are discussed, in particular the move to quantify the impact of long-range transport on regional air quality. Gaps and research questions that remain intractable are identified. The review concludes with a focus of research and policy questions for the coming decade. In particular, the policy challenges for concerted air quality and climate change policy (co-benefit) are discussed.

Air quality transcends all scales with in the atmosphere from the local to the global with handovers and feedbacks at each scale interaction. Air quality has manifold effects on health, ecosystems, heritage and climate. In this review the state of scientific understanding in relation to global and regional air quality is outlined. The review discusses air quality, in terms of emissions, processing and transport of trace gases and aerosols. New insights into the characterization of both natural and anthropogenic emissions are reviewed looking at both natural (e.g. dust and lightning) as well as plant emissions. Trends in anthropogenic emissions both by region and globally are discussed as well as biomass burning emissions. In terms of chemical processing the major air quality elements of ozone, non-methane hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and aerosols are covered. A number of topics are presented as a way of integrating the process view into the atmospheric context; these include the atmospheric oxidation efficiency, halogen and HOx chemistry, nighttime chemistry, tropical chemistry, heat waves, megacities, biomass burning and the regional hot spot of the Mediterranean. New findings with respect to the transport of pollutants across the scales are discussed, in particular the move to quantify the impact of long-range transport on regional air quality. Gaps and research questions that remain intractable are identified. The review concludes with a focus of research and policy questions for the coming decade. In particular, the policy challenges for concerted air quality and climate change policy (co-benefit) are discussed.

It has recently been demonstrated that methane emission from lithosphere degassing is an important component of the natural greenhouse-gas atmospheric budget. Globally, the geological sources are mainly due to seepage from hydrocarbon-prone sedimentary basins, and subordinately from geothermal/volcanic fluxes. This work provides a first estimate of methane emission from the geothermal/volcanic component at European level. In Europe, 28 countries have geothermal systems and at least 10 countries host surface geothermal manifestations (hot springs, mofettes, gas vents). Even if direct methane flux measurements are available only for a few small areas in Italy, a fair number of data on CO2, CH4 and steam composition and flux from geothermal manifestations are today available for 6 countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Spain). Following the emission factor and area-based approach, the available data have been analyzed and have led to an early and conservative estimate of methane emission into the atmosphere around 10,000 ton/yr (4000–16,000 ton/yr), basically from an area smaller than 4000 km2, with a speculative upper limit in the order of 105 ton/yr. Only 4–18% of the conservative estimate (about 720 ton/yr) is due to 12 European volcanoes, where methane concentration in volcanic gases is generally in the order of a few tens of ppmv. Volcanoes are thus not a significant methane source. While the largest emission is due to geothermal areas, which may be situated next to volcanoes or independent. Here inorganic synthesis, thermometamorphism and thermal breakdown of organic matter are substantial. Methane flux can reach hundreds of ton/yr from small individual vents. Geothermal methane is mainly released in three countries located in the main high heat flow regions: Italy, Greece, and Iceland. Turkey is likely a fourth important contributor but the absolute lack of data prevents any emission estimate. Therefore, the actual European geothermal–volcan

It has recently been demonstrated that methane emission from lithosphere degassing is an important component of the natural greenhouse-gas atmospheric budget. Globally, the geological sources are mainly due to seepage from hydrocarbon-prone sedimentary basins, and subordinately from geothermal/volcanic fluxes. This work provides a first estimate of methane emission from the geothermal/volcanic component at European level. In Europe, 28 countries have geothermal systems and at least 10 countries host surface geothermal manifestations (hot springs, mofettes, gas vents). Even if direct methane flux measurements are available only for a few small areas in Italy, a fair number of data on CO2, CH4 and steam composition and flux from geothermal manifestations are today available for 6 countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Spain). Following the emission factor and area-based approach, the available data have been analyzed and have led to an early and conservative estimate of methane emission into the atmosphere around 10,000 ton/yr (4000–16,000 ton/yr), basically from an area smaller than 4000 km2, with a speculative upper limit in the order of 105 ton/yr. Only 4–18% of the conservative estimate (about 720 ton/yr) is due to 12 European volcanoes, where methane concentration in volcanic gases is generally in the order of a few tens of ppmv. Volcanoes are thus not a significant methane source. While the largest emission is due to geothermal areas, which may be situated next to volcanoes or independent. Here inorganic synthesis, thermometamorphism and thermal breakdown of organic matter are substantial. Methane flux can reach hundreds of ton/yr from small individual vents. Geothermal methane is mainly released in three countries located in the main high heat flow regions: Italy, Greece, and Iceland. Turkey is likely a fourth important contributor but the absolute lack of data prevents any emission estimate. Therefore, the actual European geothermal–volcan