COAG STANDING COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENT AND
WATER
31 MAY 2012
PUBLIC STATEMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL
PLAN FOR CLEAN AIR
Review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM
In 1998, the Ambient Air Quality National Environment Protection Measure (AAQ NEPM) was
established and set national ambient air quality standards. These standards cover six
common pollutants – particles (PM10), ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon
monoxide and lead. Based on the evidence assessed through a review of the AAQ NEPM,
and the stakeholder consultation, a set of 23 recommendations for changes to the NEPM were
identified. On 16 September 2011, the National Environment Protection Council agreed to
release the review of the AAQ NEPM http://www.scew.gov.au/strategic-priorities/national-planfor-clean-air.html, and noted that the review’s recommendations will be prioritised and
responded to through the development of the National Plan for Clean Air.
Development of the National Plan for Clean Air
In 2011 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) identified air quality as a Priority Issue
of National Significance and agreed that the COAG Standing Council on Environment and
Water would develop a National Plan for Clean Air to improve air quality, and community
health and well being, to be delivered to COAG by the end of 2014. The National Plan for
Clean Air represents a strategic approach to air quality management, and will:
 bring together Commonwealth, State and Territory action into a national plan to
reduce the risk of health impacts of air pollution;
 integrate air quality standard setting with actions to reduce pollution and exposure to
pollution;
 modernise standards and respond to the latest science by introducing an exposure
reduction framework for pollutants which have no safe threshold;
 prioritise measures that achieve a net benefit to the community; and
 respond to emerging trends by working with sectors where emissions are growing.
In the first stage of the development of the National Plan for Clean Air, the focus is on
particles, because of:
 the size of the health benefits to be gained;
 current population exposure and levels of particles in the atmosphere; and
 the range of cost-effective actions available to address particles.
The first stage of the National Plan for Clean Air will involve:
 a health risk assessment of particles, and of ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide;
 development of an exposure reduction framework for particles;
 development of options for actions to reduce particle pollution, including options for
implementing national product standards to control emissions from a range of products
and equipment; and
 a cost benefit analysis (CBA) of a range of potential particle standards, including for
PM2.5, of an exposure reduction framework, and of abatement measures, for particles.
Consideration will then be given to actions on other pollutants.
What the plan will deliver
By the end of 2014, a National Plan for Clean Air which includes the following will be
completed for COAG endorsement:
 new air quality standards and an exposure reduction framework
 proposals for laws, regulations, incentives, guidance, partnerships or other actions for
implementing emission and exposure reduction actions;
 improved monitoring and reporting; and
 an agreed jurisdiction action list for ongoing implementation;
 all supported by integrated economic analysis.