Published: 21 Aug 2009
- The European Community's air pollutant
emission inventory report released by the
European Environment Agency finds that in
2007, sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions were
down by 72 % from 11000 levels. The downward
emission trend of three main pollutants
which cause ground-level ozone continued
in 2007: carbon monoxide (CO) fell by 57
%, non-methane
volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) were
down by 47 % and nitrogen oxides (NOx) have
dropped 36 %. EU-27 emissions of all four
pollutants were lower in 2007 than in 2006.
Emissions of fine particulate
matter (PM2.5), a seriously health-damaging
pollutant, have decreased by 2 % compared
to the previous year and by about 12 % since
the year 2000. However, reporting of PM
emissions from Member States is less complete
than for the other main pollutants.
In 2007 the top polluting
sources in the EU-27 were fuel combustion
in households, passenger cars, heavy duty
vehicles, and in power plants.
Other findings of the
report include:
The residential sector
is an important source of several pollutants.
Energy use by households (the burning of
wood, gas, coal etc) is the most important
source of PM2.5 and NMVOC, the second most
important source of CO and is a significant
source of both SOx and NOx.
The road transport sector
remains a major source of air pollution
in the EU-27. Heavy duty vehicles are the
single most important source of NOx, while
passenger cars are among the top 6 polluting
sources for CO, NOx, PM2.5 and NMVOC.
Power plants producing
heat and electricity have reduced emissions
significantly since 11000 by improving abatement
equipment, switching to cleaner fuels and
through improved energy efficiency. However
the sector remains a large source of air
pollution, responsible for around 60 % of
all EU-27 SOx emissions and 20 % of total
NOx emissions;
Agricultural activities
in the EU-27 cause more than 90 % of the
EU-27's ammonia (NH3) emissions. Ammonia
is a particularly important pollutant with
respect to Europe's environment, responsible
for eutrophication and acidification of
ecosystems.
The largest Member States
are generally responsible for the most air
pollution. France, Germany, Italy, Poland,
Spain and the United Kingdom contributed
the most to EU-27 emissions in 2007.
Reducing emissions of
air pollutants brings significant social
and economic benefits: fewer premature deaths
and lower health care costs, as the toll
from pollution-related diseases is also
reduced. In addition, as emissions of air
pollutant fall, Europe’s environment suffers
less harm to crop production and to natural
ecosystems, along with less damage to infrastructure
and public buildings caused by corrosive
pollutants.
Inventory data accessible
for experts and the public
The European Environment Agency publishes
the data from the report in the air pollutant
emissions data viewer, a web-based interface
that simplifies access and analysis of the
data. The data viewer can show emission
trends for the main sectors and allows comparison
of emissions between different countries
and activities. In addition, the data viewer
can produce graphics and key emission estimates.
What is the LRTAP Convention?
Since 1979, the Convention on Long-range
Transboundary Air Pollution has addressed
some of the major environmental problems
of the member countries of the United Nations'
Economic Commission for Europe. The Convention
has 51 Parties and aims to limit and, as
far as possible, gradually reduce and prevent
air pollution including long-range transboundary
air pollution.
Each year, the European
Environment Agency assists the European
Commission by preparing the European Community's
inventory report which is reported to the
UNECE Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
Convention (LRTAP).
Which air pollutants
are covered by the inventory?
Under the LRTAP Convention, Parties (including
the European Community) are requested to
report emissions data for a number of important
air pollutants, including sulphur oxides
(SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane
volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), ammonia
(NH3), carbon monoxide (CO), primary particulate
matter (PM= and PM2.5), heavy metals (HMs)
and persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
EU-27: Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden and the United Kingdom.
In memory of Svend Auken
