Summary
ECOMAPS contributes to addressing environmental challenges in the Italy-Slovenia area through the combined study of climate change and air pollution, two interconnected and critical phenomena, especially in urban areas. The project adopts a dual approach: it studies the influence that certain pollutants can have on the climate and climate change, and, at the same time, it investigates how a change in climate parameters can alter atmospheric chemistry and the reactions that regulate the production and degradation of air pollutants. Over a two-year period, ECOMAPS will not only intensify cross-border cooperation but also develop a web application that will allow citizens and local authorities to view real-time air quality and black carbon (BC) concentration data, for which the project will also produce a historical dataset of measurements. In addition, ECOMAPS will study the degradation of pollutants and develop guidelines for identifying future climate change-related contaminants that will need to be monitored.

Objectives

• Produce a historical dataset of black carbon (BC) measurements in the metropolitan city of Venice and Western Slovenia, where detailed information about BC trends and sources in still missing.
• Develop a web application to display real-time air quality and black carbon (BC) concentration data for citizens and local authorities.
• Study the degradation of pollutants and the effect of altered climatic conditions can modify the degradation kinetics.
• Identify potential new contaminants, produced by the degradation of know pollutants and air components.
• Develop guidelines for identifying future climate change-related contaminants that will need to be monitored.
• Intensify cross-border cooperation.

Project Partners
• Institute of Polar Sciences of CNR (Italy); 
• Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Italy); 
• National Institute of Chemistry (Slovenia); 
• AEROSOL development and production of scientific instruments d.o.o. (Slovenia).