76. The secretariat introduced GRPE-65-05, a draft paper looking at diesel vehicles and engines in the context of air quality, impacts of the emission of pollutants on the environment and health. The secretariat explained that paper originated in the UNECE Environment Division and followed the conclusions of the International Agency on Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) that diesel engine exhaust is carcinogenic to humans. The secretariat clarified that the document contains information on the importance of different economic sectors with respect to emissions, the interactions between sectoral emission sources and exposure to air pollution, policies and measures that have been implemented in different economic sectors to reduce the emissions of pollutants, including international agreements related to air quality, health and environmental issues. The secretariat reported that the current draft includes a compilation of facts from the work in the framework of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), its Task Force on Health, the European Environment Agency (EEA), and the work undertaken in the framework of the Inland Transport Committee and its subsidiary bodies, paying particular attention to the results delivered by the World Forum and GRPE.
77. The Director of the UNECE Transport Division explained that the paper would be the result of joint activity between the UNECE Transport and Environment Divisions. She explained that GRPE-65-05 shall be considered as a working document and encouraged all GRPE stakeholders to provide their contributions, namely on expected conclusions and recommendations. She explained her intention to widen the scope of the document to address all economic sectors, also clarifying that the inclusion of other sectors (besides transport) is still an open issue, at the moment. Having informed GRPE that the deadline for a final paper is the end of November 2013, she invited interested stakeholders to send their comments to the secretariat by the end of March 2013.
78. Positive comments on the document were expressed by the experts from Canada France, India, Italy, Germany, the Russian Federation and Switzerland. The expert from Canada acknowledged the inclusion of the contributions already provided in the draft text that was distributed. The expert from France gave a favourable feedback on the cross-sectoral approach suggested by the Director of the UNECE Transport Division. The expert from Germany recommended the incorporation of the achievements of the REC group, currently not mentioned in GRPE-65-05. The expert from Switzerland informed GRPE that diesel exhaust is classified as carcinogenic in Switzerland and that an action plan was started in 2006 to mitigate emissions. He mentioned that the experience of the action plan could provide interesting information for the paper. The expert from India suggested including a vision for future regulatory action in the document, of possible. Drawing attention on emissions of solid particles in cities, the expert from the Russian Federation recalled the role played by tyre dust and referred to GRPE-65-20 for more details.
79. The expert from OICA pointed out that the IARC conclusions were diffused in a press release, underlining that the full study is not yet available for the public. The expert from EUROMOT suggested including in the document non-road activities being undertaken in the European context.
80. Having agreed to limit the scope of the document to technical aspects of engines and vehicles, including regulatory interventions addressing their emissions (i.e. to its field of expertise), GRPE considered that the availability of the full study is not instrumental for its contributions. GRPE also agreed that the document should not question the conclusions of the experts from WHO and IARC.
78. The secretariat introduced GRPE-66-09-Rev.1, a revised draft paper looking at diesel vehicles and engines in the context of air quality, impacts of the emission of pollutants on the environment and health. The secretariat explained that the paper, based on GRPE-65-05, incorporates the comments received by the end of March 2013, as agreed during the GRPE session of January 2013. In particular, it includes an update of information related with WP.29 activities, a reorganization of the contents to improve the presentation of the policy discussion, an extension of the geographical scope to include information on North America and Japan, and the inclusion of conclusions and recommendations.
79. Canada, the Russian Federation and OICA welcomed the improvements in the document. A number of comments were addressed to the secretariat by these delegations and Euromot. They concerned the importance of fuel quality as enabler of cleaner vehicle technologies, the opportunity to consider particulate emissions from tyres, the need to update the information on the PMP activities – taking into account the updated scope of the PMP group, the correction of specific statements, as well as other issues addressing the WHO decisions. Having reiterated the need to restrict the paper to technical matters without questioning the WHO conclusions, the secretariat welcomed the comments and invited interested stakeholders to provide constructive contributions in a written form within a week, in order to have the time to include them in an updated version of the document for consideration by WP.29 in its June 2013 session. The GRPE Chair underlined the need to make sure that the comments provide constructive contributions to improve the paper. The expert from Germany supported the inclusion of a recommendation concerning cleaner fuels as enablers of technologies allowing the emission mitigation.
80. GRPE supported the document. Taking into account of the tight schedule needed for the consideration of the document in the UN framework, GRPE agreed that the secretariat should submit an updated version of the document to WP.29 for consideration at its next session (June 2013), taking into account the comments that will be received.