Emissions are falling – but not enough

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While emissions of acidifying sulphur pollutants in the EU have come down by 84 per cent since 1990, those of nitrogen compounds have fallen only by 41 per cent.

Emissions in the EU of most air pollutants continue to gradually decline, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) that documents trends in emissions between 1990 and 2012 and constitutes the EU’s annual report to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP).

The 1999 Gothenburg Protocol to the LRTAP Convention contains national emission ceilings for four pollutants – sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) and ammonia (NH₃) – that parties to the protocol must meet by 2010 and thereafter. In addition to ceilings for individual countries, the protocol also specifies ceilings for the EU, itself a party to the protocol.

For the year 2012, seven member states (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and Slovenia) reported NOx emissions higher than their ceilings, and four countries exceeded their NH₃ ceilings (Croatia, Denmark, Finland and Spain). The ceilings for NMVOCs and SO₂ were met by all member states.

Between 1990 and 2012, emissions in the EU’s 28 member states of the four pollutants SO₂, NOx, NMVOC and NH₃ dropped by 84, 51, 60 and 28 per cent respectively. The report includes country-by-country data as well as information on which sectors are responsible for the emissions.

It also provides emissions data for a number of other air pollutants that are covered by various protocols under the LRTAP Convention, such as particulate matter (PM), heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. For example, emissions of mercury (Hg) dropped by 67 per cent between 1990 and 2012, and those of PM_2.5 came down by 19 per cent between 2000 and 2012.

Christer Ågren

The report: European Union emission inventory report 1990-2012 under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) (June 2014). EEA Technical report No 12/2014.

Figure 1: Emission trends in the EU for some of the main air pollutants 1990-2012.

Figure 2: Share of EU emissions by sector group in 2012.

In this issue

Air pollution still harms ecosystems

While acidification has been greatly reduced since its peak in 1980, emissions of nitrogen-containing air pollutants continue to damage more than half of sensitive ecosystems.

Editorial: Protect people and nature from air pollution

Since their peak around thirty years ago, emissions of air pollutants in Europe have come down significantly. Tougher emission standards for industry and road vehicles have resulted in less polluting power plants and cars.

Continued succes for renewables

Denmark got 41 per cent of its power from the wind in the first six months of 2014. Renewables are advancing all over Europe.

Saving Turkey from coal

Turkey should stop the construction of new coal- and lignite-fired power stations and start phasing out the existing ones, says Greenpeace Mediterranean.

A fair share of climate responsibility

Annex 1 countries need to have negative emissions of 441 GtCO₂ by 2050, according to a new equity proposal from several Latin American countries.

Lignite power provides bargain-priced pollution

Combustion of lignite is one of the environmentally worst ways to generate energy. Even so, there is a continued increase in many parts of Europe.

Proposal for coal phase-out in Germany

BUND, a German environmental organisation, suggests a legally binding law to close all coal power stations by 2030.

Emissions are falling – but not enough

While emissions of acidifying sulphur pollutants in the EU have come down by 84 per cent since 1990, those of nitrogen compounds have fallen only by 41 per cent.

UK brought to court on bad air quality

New figures from the UK government show air quality in some of the country’s biggest cities will not meet European Union pollution limits until after 2030, twenty years after the original deadline.

Sustainable food choices

Excluding meat from our diet is not enough on its own to benefit the climate. Eating a lot of cheese or simply eating a lot of everything also leads to high greenhouse gas emissions.

New figures on global ship emissions

In 2012 worldwide shipping consumed some 300 million tonnes of fuel oil, resulting in emissions of 949 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Unless concerted action is taken, these emissions are expected to grow by up to five times by 2050.

US to cut CO2 from existing power plants

By 2030, the CPP proposal should reduce CO₂ emissions from the power sector by 30 per cent nationwide, compared to 2005 levels, and provide up to US$93 billion in climate and public health benefits

Carbon dioxide concentration surges

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased last year at the fastest rate for nearly 30 years, according to the latest data from the WMO.

EU’s Dirty thirty

The thirty most CO₂-polluting power plants in Europe also cause 20 per cent of the health costs of the sector.

Main menu

Emissions are falling – but not enough

In this issue

Air pollution still harms ecosystems

Editorial: Protect people and nature from air pollution

Continued succes for renewables

Saving Turkey from coal

A fair share of climate responsibility

Lignite power provides bargain-priced pollution

Proposal for coal phase-out in Germany

Emissions are falling – but not enough

UK brought to court on bad air quality

Sustainable food choices

New figures on global ship emissions

US to cut CO2 from existing power plants

Carbon dioxide concentration surges

EU’s Dirty thirty

Publications

Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

What we do

Air pollution

Climate Change

Policy initiatives

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