Europe’s dirty dozen

The steam plumes of Frimmersdorf, Neurath and Niederaußem in Germany , all to be found among the top eight CO₂ emitters. Photo: Arne Hückelheim/wikimedia.org/CC BY-SA

The most polluting point sources in Europe increased their carbon, sulphur and nitrogen oxides emissions in 2011.

The latest figures for emissions from industrial installations have been published recently by the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR).

The top twelve polluters of carbon dioxide (CO₂) are, apart from one metal-processing facility in France, all thermal power plants. There are only small changes in rank and order compared to the 2010 ranking (see AN 2/2012). Germany still dominates the top twelve, with seven of the top carbon polluters. The emissions of the top twelve point-emission sources amount to 227.3 million tons in 2011, an increase by 4.2 per cent compared to the previous year.

Bełchatów in Poland remains in top place for both its CO₂ and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. While the NOx emissions of the top twelve dropped nearly one-fifth in 2010, they increased by 2 per cent in 2011, amounting to 268.4 kilotons.

Only one western European country is represented among the top twelve sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emitters, the UK in the eleventh spot – the other major polluters are located in eastern Europe. Emissions of SO₂ from the dirty dozen increased by 10 per cent compared to 2010. The first-placed plant is still Maritsa 2 in Bulgaria, which emitted almost twice as much as in 2010. The increase in the overall emissions of SO₂ from plants covered by the E-PRTR was 1.1 per cent for all reporting countries.

Several developments contributed to the increase in point-source air pollutants in 2011, including recovery from the economic crisis, which hit Europe in 2008/2009; many facilities are now operating at full capacity again. Another reason is the combination of high gas prices and cheap coal imports from the US, which has caused a shift in fuel mix in some parts of Europe.

The E-PRTR is a service managed by the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA). The online register contains information on emissions of pollutants released into the atmosphere, hydrosphere and into the soil by industrial facilities throughout Europe (32 countries: EU27, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Serbia) and includes annual data for 91 substances released from nearly 30,000 facilities. The first data set is from 2007 and it has now been updated for the fifth time.

Moritz Mez

The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register can be found at: http://prtr.ec.europa.eu

In this issue

Finding the ambition level

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Editorial: Public money for public environmental goods

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Significant cuts in carbon emissions within reach

The CO₂ emissions of the Nordic and Baltic countries can be cut by 70 per cent by 2020 or soon after, and by 95 per cent by 2030, without nuclear power and CCS, shows a new AirClim report.

Call for international nitrogen framework

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Coal pollution kills Indians

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Eight countries continue to exceed their emission ceilings

Car fleet dieselisation combined with high real-life driving emissions contribute to seven countries still failing to meet NOx reduction targets.

Stricter US standards for road vehicles proposed

The proposed Tier 3 standards should reduce emissions of smog-forming volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides by 80 per cent and particulate matter by 70 per cent, compared to today’s car fleet average standards.

Every breath we take – air quality in Europe

In the 2013 edition of their Signals report, the European Environment Agency (EEA) takes a closer look at air quality. “Signals 2013 – Every breath we take” consists of short and accessible articles covering a wide range of aspects related to air quality.

Call for long-term CO2 targets

The European Parliament Environment Committee has proposed a 120kph speed limit for vans from 2014 and 2025 CO₂ targets for both cars and vans.

Shipping should cut greenhouse gases and air pollutants

Due to its dependence on fossil fuels and the fact that it is one of the least regulated emission sources, emissions from the marine transport sector contribute significantly and increasingly to air pollution and climate change.

Stricter air pollution rules for machinery on the way

Emission standards for the non-road sector should be extended and strengthened in line with the Euro VI standards for road vehicles, environmental groups demand.

Coal costs health €43 billion a year

A phase-out of coal power generation is imperative, with a moratorium on new coal power plants as a first step.

CCS sidelined by tenuous financing

Carbon, capture and storage (CCS) has still not proven to be anything else than an inordinately expensive technology on an experimental level. Nevertheless the European Commission continues to embrace it.

Smaller carbon footprint from food

German diets have become more climate-friendly in the past twenty years, but there is great scope to reduce the carbon footprint from food consumption even more.