Sweden can cut greenhouse gas emissions by well over 50 per cent by the year 2020, if results of recent studies for 2050 are “telescoped” into the shorter timeframe, and if the consequences of exported electricity and biomass are accounted for. This could take place without CCS and while much of the nuclear capacity is decommissioned.
In 1991 Sweden introduced a substantial CO2 tax. Though it had many exemptions and was subject to many changes over the years, it did cut emissions. During that time, Sweden also phased out two nuclear reactors.
The EU burden sharing agreement in 1997–98 allowed Sweden a plus four per cent GHG target for 1990–2010. This was motivated by Sweden’s supposed plans to phase out nuclear power by 2010, plans that were already abandoned.
Current levels of air pollution cause severe health impacts in the European Union, resulting in some 370,000 premature deaths each year, increased hospital admissions, extra medication, and millions of lost working days.
Recent research indicates that fine particles (PM2.5) in the air in the year 2000 caused an average shortening of statistical life expectancy of more than eight months in the EU, equivalent to 3.6 million life years lost annually. This means that these particles have the most serious effects on people’s health of all air pollutants.
This study includes a historical treatment of German lignite use and discusses many of the hidden costs involved. Special consideration is paid to eastern Germany.
A lowering of the sulphur content of marine heavy fuel oil to 0.5 per cent would reduce SO2 emissions from international shipping around Europe by more than three quarters by 2010. The benefits of such a measure clearly outweigh the costs, according to this study.
The report identifies and lists the 200 largest emitters of sulphur dioxide and the 200 “best” fossil-fuelled power stations, in terms of SO2 and NOx emissions per useful output.
A briefing document by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E), Seas At Risk (SAR), and the Swedish NGO Secretariat on Acid Rain.
EU emission standards for light and heavy road vehicles
Emission requirements for light road vehicles have existed in the EU since the early 1970s, while the first requirements for heavy vehicles came in at the end of the 1980s.