06/07/2005 - Greenhouse
gas emissions from the European Union (EU)
have increased in 2003, after having fallen
in 2002. For WWF this is a clear sign that
the EU is in urgent need for a PowerSwitch!
from coal to clean.
According to a report by the European Environment
Agency (EEA), emissions in the 15 old member
states (EU-15) increased by 53 million tonnes
(1.3%) between 2002 and 2003. Total EU-25
emissions increased by 1.5%.
The EEA says an increase in power production
using coal is responsible for this increase
in emissions.
Millions of extra tonnes of CO2
Coal is the dirtiest of all fossil fuels.
Burning it generates 70% more CO2 for every
unit of energy produced than natural gas.
CO2 – the main climate pollutant - makes up
over 80% of all EU-15 greenhouse gas emissions.
Burning more dirty coal for power generation
throughout 2003 has led to millions of extra
tonnes of CO2 pouring out of Europe’s smokestacks:
between 2002 and 2003 CO2 emissions in EU-15
countries have increased by 59 million tonnes
(1.8%). Compared to 11000 the total increase
is 3.4%.
WWF urges the EU to make a real PowerSwitch!
from coal to clean to ensure the deep cuts
in CO2 emissions we need to tackle climate
change.
UK, Finland and Germany burn more coal
Italy, Finland and the United Kingdom saw
the largest overall emission increases among
the EU-15 member states: 15 million tonnes,
8 million tonnes and 7 million tonnes. On
the positive side, 2003 saw emission reductions
from Portugal (-4.5 million tonnes) and Ireland
(-2 million tonnes).
Looking at the different sectors, the power
sector is responsible for 24 million extra
tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – almost
half of the total increase of 53 million tonnes
across the EU.
According to the EEA, the biggest emission
rises from power production have been observed
in countries which substantially increased
their coal use: the UK (+10 million tonnes),
Finland (+7 million tonnes) and Germany (almost
+6 million tonnes).
Greenhouse gas emissions from households
and the service sector increased by 18 million
tonnes (+2.8%), emissions from industry by
17 million tonnes (+2.1), and emissions from
transport by 6 million tonnes (+0.7%), while
emissions in the agriculture sector decreased.
