|
Greenhouse gas emissions on the rise across the EU |
| Print |
|
E-mail
|
Increase use of coal for electricity generation has led to a rise in greenhouse gas emissions across the EU according to the latest figures released by the European Environment Agency. Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases rose by 1.5% in the EU-25 in 2003 compared with 2002. EU-15 emissions went up by 1.3%. Averaged over the latest five years, EU-15 emissions stood 2.9% below their 1990 level. Under the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, the EU-15 have to cut their combined greenhouse gas emissions, averaged over the 2008-2012 period, to 8% below the 1990 level.
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas has expressed his disappointment at the news and called on Member States to fully implement emission reduction measures. However he has said that he remains confident that the EU will hit its Kyoto targets helped but the emissions trading scheme which is only just coming into operation.
The 1.3% increase in EU-15 greenhouse gas emissions in 2003 equates to an extra 53 million tonnes. Almost half of this rise - 24 million tonnes - was due to a 2.1% increase in emissions from energy industries, which in turn was caused mainly by growth of 5% in electricity and heat production and in coal consumption by power stations. Coal produces higher emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas, than other fossil fuels. The biggest emission rises from electricity and heat production were in those countries, which substantially increased their coal use. |
