Fuel quality monitoring in the EU in 2023 – Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

Report on Fuel Quality Monitoring and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Mitigating Environmental and Health Impacts of Fuel Combustion

The combustion of petrol and diesel fuels releases products that have direct and indirect adverse effects on human, animal, and environmental health. These impacts, which include the inhalation of gaseous pollutants and the consumption of harmful substances deposited in soil and crops, present significant challenges to global sustainability efforts. This report outlines the regulatory framework for monitoring fuel quality within the European Union, contextualizing these efforts within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Improving fuel quality is a critical action that directly supports the achievement of several SDGs:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By reducing harmful emissions from transport, fuel quality regulations directly contribute to decreasing the incidence of respiratory illnesses and other health conditions linked to air pollution.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Cleaner fuels are essential for reducing urban air pollution, making cities and human settlements safer, more inclusive, and healthier environments for all inhabitants.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The enforcement of fuel quality standards represents a form of sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and pollutants.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: Regulating fuel content limits the deposition of harmful substances into terrestrial ecosystems, thereby protecting soil quality, safeguarding crops, and preserving biodiversity.

Regulatory Framework and Reporting Obligations

To address these challenges and advance the SDGs, EU Member States are mandated by the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) 98/70/EC to monitor and report on the quality of fuels sold for road transport. This ensures a consistent approach to reducing pollution and protecting public health.

The Monitoring and Reporting Process

1. Annual Sampling: Member States are required to collect samples of petrol and diesel fuels from the market each year.
2. Technical Analysis: The collected samples undergo analysis to verify that their technical characteristics comply with the stringent requirements set out in Article 8 of the FQD.
3. Annual Reporting: The results of this analysis are compiled and reported to provide a comprehensive overview of fuel quality and compliance across the EU.

Report Structure and Content

This report provides a detailed assessment of the fuel quality monitoring systems. It is organized to offer both a regional overview and country-specific details, facilitating a clear understanding of progress and compliance.

• Chapter 2: European Union Overview: This section presents consolidated information and analysis for the EU as a whole, highlighting trends and regional compliance with the FQD.
• Chapter 3: National Fuel Quality Monitoring Systems: This section contains detailed country-specific fact sheets describing the unique monitoring and reporting systems implemented by each Member State.

Further technical details on the specific parameters reported under Article 8 and their direct effects on environmental and human health are available in EEA-Report No 05/2019.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on the regulation of fuel quality to mitigate its negative impacts. The key SDGs identified are:

   • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

     The article directly connects fuel combustion to health issues, stating that pollutants affect “human and animal directly and indirectly – for example by inhaling gaseous pollutants or by consuming harmful substances.” This highlights a direct link to ensuring healthy lives.

   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

     The regulations discussed apply to “petrol and diesel fuels sold for road transport.” Since road transport is a primary source of air pollution in urban areas, efforts to improve fuel quality contribute to making cities and human settlements safer, more resilient, and sustainable by improving air quality.

   • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

     The article discusses the implementation of the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD), which mandates monitoring the quality of products (petrol and diesel). This is a clear example of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns by managing chemical products to “minimise the negative effects on health and the environment.”

   • SDG 15: Life on Land

     The text mentions that fuel combustion leads to “consuming harmful substances deposited in soil, food, and crops.” This directly relates to protecting terrestrial ecosystems from pollution and degradation, which is a core component of SDG 15.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

   • Target 3.9

     “By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.” The article’s entire premise is to minimize the negative health effects from inhaling “gaseous pollutants” and consuming “harmful substances deposited in soil,” which aligns perfectly with this target.

   • Target 11.6

     “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality…” The focus on monitoring fuel quality for “road transport” is a direct measure to improve urban air quality, thereby reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities.

   • Target 12.4

     “By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.” The Fuel Quality Directive, which regulates the “technical characteristics” of fuels to limit harmful emissions, is a mechanism for the environmentally sound management of these chemical products.

   • Target 15.1

     “By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services…” By addressing the issue of “harmful substances deposited in soil… and crops,” the article implies a connection to protecting terrestrial ecosystems from pollution caused by fuel combustion.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

   • Compliance with Fuel Quality Standards

     The article states that Member States must “sample fuels each year and analyse their technical characteristics to ensure that they are consistent with the requirements of Article 8 of the Directive 98/70/EC.” The rate of compliance and the measured levels of specific fuel parameters serve as direct indicators of progress in managing fuel quality.

   • National Fuel Quality Monitoring Systems

     The existence and effectiveness of the “different national fuel quality monitoring systems” described in Chapter 3 of the report are an indicator of the institutional capacity to manage and regulate fuel quality, contributing to targets under SDGs 11 and 12.

   • Levels of Pollutants

     Progress towards Target 3.9 and 11.6 can be measured by monitoring the levels of “gaseous pollutants” in the air and the concentration of “harmful substances deposited in soil, food, and crops.” While the article doesn’t provide specific data, it establishes these as the key factors of concern to be measured.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators
   SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	Target 3.9: Substantially reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution.	Levels of “gaseous pollutants” from fuel combustion; Concentration of “harmful substances deposited in soil, food, and crops.”
   SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, paying special attention to air quality.	Quality of petrol and diesel fuels sold for road transport; Existence and effectiveness of national fuel quality monitoring systems.
   SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production	Target 12.4: Achieve environmentally sound management of chemicals to minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment.	Compliance rate of fuels with the “technical characteristics” required by the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD).
   SDG 15: Life on Land	Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.	Measured levels of “harmful substances deposited in soil… and crops” from fuel combustion.

Source: ccacoalition.org