On Monday, 13 May, the PAREMPI convened its first Policy Recommendations Workshop on Transport Emissions at the Finnish Meteorological Institute in Helsinki, Finland. Organised by VTT, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and Magellan Circle, the workshop attracted over 70 participants in a hybrid format, fostering a diverse exchange of ideas. The full programme with speakers is available here. 

The EU projects session was opened with a presentation on PAREMPI, by the project coordinator Päivi Aakko-Saksa (VTT), which was followed by insightful presentations from sister projects AEROSOLS, EASVOLEE and GREEN RAY.

Soheil Zeraati Rezaei (University of Birmingham), scientific coordinator of AEROSOLS presented the project which looks at the health impact of primary semi-volatile and secondary particles. 

Kati Lehtoranta (VTT) is the coordinator of the GREEN RAY project, and she presented the activities aiming at minimising methane slip from Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) vessels to enable clean waterborne transport.

Spyros Pandis (University of Patras) gave an online presentation of EASVOLEE project, determined to quantify the contributions of secondary PM formation from transport engines to air quality problems in Europe.

Tuuli Ojala, representing the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Finland, provided an overview of transport emissions policies in Finland. A dynamic panel discussion ensued, featuring perspectives from public authorities and industry representatives, including Ricardo Suarez Bertoa (European Commission Joint Research Centre), Jukka Nuottimäki (Neste), and Jyrki Ristimäki (Royal Caribbean Group), alongside Tuuli Ojala. The panellists agreed that more conversation and cooperation is needed between the industry and research community. 

Expressing gratitude to all speakers and participants, the PAREMPI project reiterated its commitment to collaborative action in reducing harmful transport emissions. The workshop served as a platform to provide policy stakeholders with pertinent research findings, fostering a shared commitment to environmental sustainability.

The Policy Recommendations Workshop on Transport Emissions reflects the dedication of the PAREMPI project and its partners to address pressing environmental concerns and drive positive change in transportation policies.