The Research Infrastructure (RI) ACTRIS – Aerosols, Clouds and Trace Gases - is the pan-European RI that consolidates activities amongst European partners for observations of aerosols, clouds, and trace gases and for understanding of the related atmospheric processes, to provide RI services to wide user groups. ACTRIS is composed of 8 connected elements: distributed National Facilities (observation platforms and exploratory platforms) both in Europe and globally, and 7 Central Facilities (Head Office, Data Centre and 5 Calibration Centres). ACTRIS provides access to its facilities, open-access data, research support, instrument calibration and development, and training to various user groups. By providing data and access ACTRIS enhances science, but it also generates and disseminates knowledge, boosts technological development, and creates human capital and jobs for the benefit of the society. ACTRIS will positively impact on e.g. human health, climate resilience, and protection from environmental hazards and reduction of air pollution. ACTRIS has been selected to the ESFRI roadmap in 2016 as mature enough to be implemented within the next ten years. ACTRIS Preparatory Phase Project (PPP) will have a significant role in enabling the transition from a project-based network of research facilities to a centrally coordinated integrated pan-European RI. ACTRIS PPP brings together a wide community of research performing organizations, research funding organizations and ministries needed to take the decisions and actions to move forward in the implementation of the ACTRIS. The main objectives of ACTRIS PPP are to develop the organizational, operational and strategic frameworks of the RI. The work includes legal, governance, financial, technical, strategic, and administrative aspects carried out in 9 work packages. The main outcomes of PPP are signature-ready documents for establishment of a legal entity with well-defined operations and a sound business plan.

CLOUD-DOC is to establish a network of early stage researchers (ESRs, all PhD students) at 12 institutions across Europe (10 EU-funded). The role of aerosol nucleation for atmospheric aerosol, clouds and climate is investigated. The focus of investigations will be to study under well-controlled laboratory conditions the oxidation chemistry, aerosol nucleation and growth processes that are responsible for aerosol particle formation in cold regions of the atmosphere: a) Arctic environments, b) the upper troposphere above the Asian monsoon region, c) the upper troposphere above tropical rain forests, and d) the Southern Ocean. The major research activity of the network will be two sets of joint experiments carried out at the CLOUD aerosol chamber at CERN to which all ESRs contribute. At the CLOUD chamber nucleation experiments are performed at an unprecedented level of precision and completeness using highly innovative instrumentation. A well-structured research and training plan is set up for every ESR as well as a comprehensive, quality-controlled supervision. A high-quality PhD training is arranged. The ESRs are brought together for network training events such as summer schools and workshops for integral data analysis. Courses by world-leading experts are taught spanning from general atmospheric aerosol chemistry and physics to specialized sessions including the role of aerosol for clouds, climate and also health. The summer schools and workshops are specifically tailored to the needs of the trainees. Transferable skills training includes courses on scientific writing, presentation skills, interaction with media, entrepreneurship, IPR, management, gender dimension and diversity in science, and good scientific conduct. The partners from the private sector (1 beneficiary, 4 partners) are closely integrated in the action.

The overall objective of the PAPILA project (Prediction of Air Pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean) is to establish a sustained network of partners with complementary expertise, which will develop and implement an analysis and forecast system for air quality with downscaling capability for Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC region), and assess the impact of air pollution (background and peaks) on health and on the economy. This forecast system will help decision-makers improve air quality and public health, and avoid the occurrence of acute air pollution episodes, particularly in urban areas. The project combines an ensemble of state-of-the-art models, high-resolution emission inventories, space observations and surface measurements to provide near real time forecasts and analysis of regional air pollution in the LAC region. To reach this objective, the project will bring together an interdisciplinary team of scientists from Europe, Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela) and the Caribbean (Puerto Rico), and foster synergies between the groups involved in research and service activities. The project will co-develop with users and other stakeholders several products and services of importance for the LAC region. An important objective of the project is to make use of complementary competence to develop innovative ideas, to established sustained partnerships between research groups, to transfer information to the public, to develop educational activities and to create a dialogue with interested stakeholders. Societal impacts, specifically on human health, on crop production, on ecosystems, on the mountain snow cover and on the hydrological cycle as well as the economic benefits of mitigation policies will be assessed. Finally, the planned activities will provide the basis for sustained capacity building actions.