History

The "International Co-operative Programmeme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems (ICP IM)" was established in 1989. It complements and collaborates closely with six other international cooperative programmes under the UN/ECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP).

The international ICP IM Programme Centre is located at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), while the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) serves as the national programme center. Annual reports and scientific statements from the ICP IM programme are submitted to the CLRTAP Working Group on Effects (WGE).

The objectives of this international programme are:

• Ongoing observation of the state of ecosystems (monitoring).
• Early detection of changes in the state of biotic communities and their nutrient budget.
• Assessment of future developments based on this data using models to inform political decision-making.

Many undesirable, damaging effects observed in forest ecosystems can be attributed to excessive inputs of pollutants (acidity, heavy metals) and nutrients (nitrogen), increased concentrations of harmful gases (ozone), and climate change. Interactions between these substances and processes must also be taken into account. To achieve the programme's objectives, the monitoring sites must be free from significant local sources of pollutants and direct human intervention, such as forest management.