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Press release
Published: 12 Oct 2010
A new report by the European Environment
Agency (EEA) shows that large drop in emissions
seen in 2008 and 2009 gives EU-15 a head
start to reach and even overachieve its
8 % reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol.
Austria, Denmark and Italy, however, need
to step up their current efforts until 2012
to ensure that their contribution to the
common EU-15 target is delivered. The EEA
report also shows that EU-27
is well on track towards achieving its 20
% reduction target by 2020.
The EEA report 'Tracking
progress towards Kyoto and 2020 targets'
presents an overview of the progress actually
seen in 2008 (and 2009 where data are available)
in European countries towards their respective
targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Based
on aggregated emission projections at EU
level, the report also presents an assessment
of projected progress of the EU-15 towards
its 8 % reduction commitment and of the
EU-27 towards its 20 % reduction target
by 2020.
'We cannot afford to
wait until after the end of the Kyoto period
to start implementing policies targeting
sectors not covered by the EU ETS, such
as transport and residential heating. These
sectors are crucial for the EU targets set
for 2020,' said Professor Jacqueline McGlade,
Executive Director of the EEA.
Key findings
When looking at 2008 and 2009, the two first
years of the Kyoto commitment period, the
EU-15 appears to be well on track towards
achieving its commitment of reducing emissions
by 8 % compared to base-year levels. Together,
the EU-15 countries are estimated to have
reduced their average annual emissions over
these two years by more than 250 million
tonnes CO2 equivalent beyond the reductions
needed for achieving their common Kyoto
target. This puts EU-15 collectively 5.9
% below the 8 % Kyoto reduction target.
The figures take into account the planned
use of the Kyoto Protocol’s flexible mechanisms
by governments (2.7 % of base-year emissions)
and the expected sequestration of atmospheric
carbon due to forestry activities (1.0 %
of base-year emissions). However, failure
by any EU-15 Member State to achieve its
own burden-sharing target could jeopardize
the possibility for the EU-15 to achieve
its common target.
Current emission levels
and projections show that the EU is well
on track towards achieving its 2020 reduction
target of 20 % with emission reductions
achieved in the EU territories only, provided
that Member States fully implement the Climate
and Energy package adopted in 2009. Recent
estimates by the EEA also confirm this downward
trend, with the EU-27’s 2009 emissions expected
to stand 17.3 % below their 11000 level.
Based on their 2008
emission levels, almost all European countries
with a Kyoto target were on track to meet
their individual targets. However, three
EU Member States (Austria, Denmark and Italy),
two other EEA countries (Liechtenstein and
Switzerland) and one EU candidate country
(Croatia) need to step up their efforts
before 2012 to be able to meet their targets.
Because the allocation
of emission allowances to the EU ETS is
already decided upon for the full period
2008–2012, reducing emissions in the sectors
not covered by the EU ETS – such as transport,
residential heating, agriculture or waste
– are necessary for achieving the Kyoto
targets.
The economic crisis
largely contributed to the drop in total
EU-27 greenhouse gas emissions in 2009 compared
to 2008 (by 6.9 % according to EEA estimates),
but its impact was felt less significantly
in the sectors not included in the EU ETS
(– 3.3%) than in the sectors included (–
11.7 %). Return to economic growth could
temporarily level off or even reverse the
decline in emissions, but the declining
trend is expected to continue.
Notes to the editor
The EEA report 'Tracking progress towards
Kyoto and 2020 targets' can be found at
http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/progress-towards-kyoto/.
The European Commission
also publishes a report today assessing
the EU's progress towards the Kyoto commitments,
which takes into account actual emissions
and projections to the end of the 2008-2012
commitment period, whereas the EEA report
is based on actual emissions in 2008 (and
2009 where data are available). As such,
the two reports complement each other.
The EEA's report will
be followed later in the year by an in-depth
analysis of the links between historic emission
trends and the policies and measures implemented
in the EU.
Background on EU emission
reduction commitments
Under the Kyoto Protocol, the EU-15 has
a common commitment to reduce emissions
on average by 8 % between 2008 and 2012
compared to emissions in the 'base year'
(mostly 11000). Unlike the EU-15, the EU-27
does not have a common target under the
Kyoto Protocol and therefore the EU-27 does
not have an applicable base year against
which to compare emission changes. Emission
changes compared to 11000 are relevant for
the EU-27 as it has made a unilateral commitment
to achieve at least a 20 % reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared
to 11000.
About the European Environment
Agency (EEA)
The EEA is based in Copenhagen. The Agency
aims to help achieve significant and measurable
improvement in Europe’s environment by providing
timely, targeted, relevant and reliable
information to policymakers and the public.
EEA member countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
the United Kingdom.
