On 12 June 2019, Several qualified experts from France, Europe, China and India, came to present their experience and recommendations to integrate actions. The main aspects have been reviewed: organisational, technical, scientific and policy ; public- and private-sector contributions ; from all administrative levels. This conference has been the opportunity to examine the links between the various policies and their capacity to strengthen synergies in order to reduce adverse impacts more rapidly and to meet climate, air quality and energy strategy experts and decision-makers.

On 15 May 2018, Citepa’s annual conference was on the subject “Nitrogen atmospheric compounds (NOx, NH₃ and N₂O): short-term challenges”. It brought together more than 120 people. The conference made it possible to overview several aspects of the subject: the nitrogen cycle and the emissions trends, the behavior of nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere, the health and ecosystem impacts, the policies set up to limit emissions at the French and European levels, the mobility law under preparation, feedbacks from issuing sectors. A specific point has been made on the NH₃ emissions from agriculture. Among the speakers were representatives of the Ministry of Ecology (MTES), the Ministry of Agriculture (MAA), the European Commission (DG Environment), the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), the French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), Citepa , the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the major research and training player in the fields of energy, transport and the environment (IFPEN), the industry (EDF), the Ile-de-France Regional Department of the Environment and Energy (DRIEE), and professional organizations (Chambres d’agriculture France, Uniclima). The quality of the presentations and the richness of the debates coming from many questions of the participants, allowed to clarify the problematic, to deepen the issues and to release perspectives.

At the high-level segment of the COP-22 opening ceremony, France decided to take the lead in a coalition “carbon neutrality by 2050”. It therefore joined Germany in this objective of zero net emissions (ZEN) on the national territory. In order to open up this debate and to objectify it, Citepa, in partnership with Entreprises pour l’Environnement (EpE), met on 17 May 2017 with stakeholders concerned by this challenge. Public decision-makers, researchers and experts, representatives of companies and associations, presented their approaches during a particularly interactive conference. Presentations and debates provided a better understanding of the challenges of this ambitious goal. The conference examined how to articulate political, economical and technological solutions.

Emissions of air pollutants tend to decrease in France, as in Europe. However, air quality problems persist. In fact, the air concentrations of these pollutants may exceed limit values, as well as information and warning thresholds, in particular for PM₁₀ and NOx. The Citepa conference provided a better understanding of the phenomena that can occasionally lead to high levels of concentrations (measured locally), which are not highly linked to emissions (estimated at national and annual levels). Experts from French research laboratories, the French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), Air Quality Monitoring Associations (AASQA) and others have provided their insights.

Beyond the challenge for the planet, mitigating climate change offers major scientific, technical and economic prospects. What positive insights do national and subnational mitigation plans provide? Leading players and international experts in France, Germany, Belgium and Africa presented the types of modelling and scenarios used in national mitigation strategies. These works involve in multi-sectoral scientific and technological expertises. Drawing on several case studies at national level and projects such as Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) or Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDs), mitigating climate change provides extensive opportunities to both public- and private-sector policymakers and other key stakeholders.