The main task of the National Air Pollution Monitoring Network (NABEL) is to measure the ambient air quality in Switzerland and to provide high quality long-term measurement series of air pollutants. The NABEL network provides objective results of the impact of air pollutants in Switzerland and so contributes to air quality policy.

The NABEL monitoring network is operated by EMPA (Air Pollution / Environmental Technology Department) under the supervision of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), which is responsible for the enforcement of the Ordinance on Air Pollution Control (OAPC). The NABEL database enables FOEN to observe trends and to evaluate the success of air pollution measures on a yearly basis.

The NABEL monitoring network consists of 16 monitoring stations that are located all over Switzerland (see map below). The monitoring stations are representative of different typical levels of pollution, and are classified according to the type of site. NABEL participates in international programs: Some of the rural monitoring sites are integrated into the ‘European Monitoring and Evaluation Program’ (EMEP), and the high-alpine site at Jungfraujoch is a part of the ‘Global Atmosphere Watch’ program (GAW). In addition, NABEL provides data for the European air quality information system EUROAIRNET.

Basel | Bern | Chaumont |  Davos | Dübendorf | Härkingen | Jungfraujoch | Lägeren | Lausanne | Lugano | Magadino | Payerne | Rigi | Sion | Tänikon | Zürich

A main objective of NABEL is to inform the public about the current air quality situation and the temporal development of the air quality in Switzerland. Daily updated NABEL results can be obtained from the FOEN web-site.

The NABEL monitoring network serves as a platform for research activities. NABEL data are used in a various research projects, ranging from specific data points to series of measurements that researchers evaluate in regards to certain parameters.

The NABEL monitoring network is complemented by air pollution monitoring stations operated by cantons and cities (see the CerclAir web-site).

Contact

Dr. Christoph Hüglin
Tel. +41-1-823 46 54
Fax +41-1-821 62 44
Email: christoph.hueglin@empa.ch