The focus on power industry may be much more efficient than that of implementing laws to stop environmental pollution

Public concern rising over the past decade about the impact of air pollution on the environment, pressure is mounting on national and supranational governments need to take action to slow down the pace of climate change and improve air quality.

The spotlight has fallen on a much easier target – the power industry than that of implementing politically unpopular measures to tackle pollution from automobiles. In spite of Western European countries being considered as highly developed by global standards, utilities in a number of countries were only required to comply with fairly lax environmental standards, usually citing the defense that to place tough restrictions on the power industry which could harm the country in question’s ability to economic competence.

The EU has come forward to take some steps as they always do. This situation has now been challenged by the European Union (EU), which has passed a series of laws designed to reduce emission levels of greenhouse gases. Other factors like the introduction of emissions trading and higher electricity prices have created the best investment climate for power infrastructure spending for a number of years.

European Union’s imposing laws to control environmental pollution

The European Union has imposed strict rules on air, water and soil pollution on 52,000 after industries a compromise on how much extra time electricity, oil and steel companies should get to comply.

The European Parliament voted to tighten the 1996 Integrated Pollution Prevention and imposed strict laws covering such discharges as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, dust particles, dioxins and heavy metals. These create a lot amount of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas regulated by Europe’s cap-and-trade program.

“This offers more clarity and a better chance of a level playing field across Europe on environmental requirements for industrial installations,” said Holger Krahmer, a German member who imposed the new rules through the 27-nation EU assembly in Strasbourg, France.

The national governments have already prepared and supported the draft law, making their final approval after two-and-a-half years of deliberations which is actually a formality .

The new laws may enhance the role of the most effective emissions-reduction technology, known as best available techniques, in the granting of permits for electricity plants, oil refineries and metals, minerals, chemicals and waste- incineration sites would be subject to the rules. Large pig and poultry farms are also expected to be affected by the law, which is due to be phased in starting around the end of 2012.