Brussels, 22/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - The findings of the latest national estimates collated by the European Environment Agency (EEA), demonstrate that 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, which 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.
Emissions from households and the services sector in the EU-15 rose considerably by 18 million tonnes, or 2.8%, partly due to colder than usual weather in the first quarter of the year in the same countries which increased their heating needs. Industry saw its emissions rise by 17 million tonnes, or 2.1%, while transport emissions increased by 6 million tonnes, or 0.7%. The spokesperson for Stavros Dimas, Barbara Helfferich, recognised that in this context, aviation will be the means of transport in the future most responsible for CO2 emissions. She explained that this was why the Commission will shortly be publishing a communication on this issue. Commissioner Dimas said, “These figures are disappointing and further reinforce the need for Member States to fully implement all the emission-reduction actions agreed at EU level as well as their own national measures.” He remains confident, however, that the EU will achieve its targets. He added that member states will shortly be submitting new projections, which will be analysed by the Commission over the coming months.
The Commission notes that 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. The latest projections of future emissions, published last December, indicated that the EU-15 could achieve emissions reduction of just over 8% by 2010 by fully implementing existing and planned measures and by obtaining emission credits through the Kyoto Protocol's project-based mechanisms.