Publications

Emissions of primary particulate matter and secondary particulate matter precursors (CSI 003) - Assessment published Dec 2011: Total emissions of primary PM 10 particulate matter have reduced by 27% across the EEA-32 region between 1990 and 2009, driven by a 34% reduction in emissions of the fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) fraction; emissions of particulates between 2.5 and 10 µm have risen slightly (10%) over the same period. Of this reduction in PM 10 emissions, 37% has taken place in the 'Energy Production and Distribution' sector due reasons including the fuel-switching from coal to natural gas for electricity generation and improvements in the performance of pollution abatement equipment installed at industrial facilities.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Emissions of primary particulate matter and secondary particulate matter precursors
Contributions by sector for emissions of acidifying pollutants (EEA member countries): The contribution made by different sectors to emissions of acidifying pollutants
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Distance-to-target for EEA member countries: The distance-to-target indicator shows how current emissions compare to a linear emission reduction 'target-path' between 2010 emission levels and the 2020 Gothenburg emission ceiling for each country. Negative percentage values indicate the current emissions in a country are below the linear target path; positive values show that current emission lie above a linear target path to 2020.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Sector share of sulphur oxides emissions - 2010 (EEA member countries): The contribution made by different sectors to emissions of sulphur dioxide
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Sulphur dioxide SO2 emissions (APE 001) - Assessment published Dec 2012: EEA-32 emissions of sulphur oxides (SO X ) have decreased by 75% between 1990 and 2010. In 2010, the most significant sectoral source of SO X emissions was 'Energy production and distribution' (57% of total emissions), followed by emissions occurring from 'Energy use in industry' (21%) and in the 'Commercial, institutional and households' (14%) sector. The reduction in emissions since 1990 has been achieved as a result of a combination of measures, including fuel-switching in energy-related sectors away from high-sulphur solid and liquid fuels to low-sulphur fuels such as natural gas, the fitting of flue gas desulphurisation abatement technology in industrial facilities and the impact of European Union directives relating to the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels. All of the EU-27 Member States have reduced their national SO X emissions below the level of the 2010 emission ceilings set in the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD) [1] . Emissions in 2010 for the three non-EU countries having emission ceilings set under the UNECE/CLRTAP Gothenburg protocol (Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) were also below the level of their respective 2010 ceilings. Environmental context: Sulphur dioxide is emitted when fuels containing sulphur are combusted. It is a pollutant which contributes to acid deposition which in turn can lead to changes occurring in soil and water quality. The subsequent impacts of acid deposition can be significant, including adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems in rivers and lakes and damage to forests, crops and other vegetation. SO 2 emissions also aggravate asthma conditions and can reduce lung function and inflame the respiratory tract, and contribute as a secondary particulate pollutant to formation of particulate matter in the atmosphere, an important air pollutant in terms of its adverse impact on human health. Further, the formation of sulphate particles in the atmosphere after its release results in reflection of solar radiation, which leads to net cooling of the atmosphere. [1] Emissions data reported by EU member states under NECD is used for comparison with NECD ceilings, and data reported under CLRTAP is used for all other calculations unless otherwise stated.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Sulphur dioxide SO2 emissions
Change in sulphur dioxide emissions for each sector between 1990 and 2008 (EEA member countries): Percentage change in sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions for each sector between 1990 and 2008.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Contribution to total change in sulphur dioxide emissions for each sector (EEA member countries): The contribution made by each sector to the total change in sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions between 1990 and 2008.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Emission trends of sulphur oxides (EEA member countries, EU-27 Member States): This chart shows past emission trends of sulphur dioxide in the EEA-32 and EU-27 group of countries. In addition - for the EU-27 - the 2010 emission ceiling and aggregated projections reported by Member States are shown.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Emissions of acidifying substances (CSI 001) - Assessment published Dec 2012: Emissions of the acidifying pollutants, nitrogen oxides (NO X ), sulphur oxides (SO X ) and ammonia (NH 3 ), have decreased significantly in most of the individual EEA member countries between 1990 and 2010. Emissions of SO X have decreased by 75%, NO X by 42% and NH 3 emissions by 28% since 1990 within the EEA-32. Data reported under the NECD indicates that the EU-27 as a whole has met its overall target to reduce emissions of SO X and NH 3 as specified by the EU’s National Emissions Ceiling Directive (NECD). However twelve individual Member States, and the EU as a whole, reported emissions in the 2010 above their NECD 2010 emission ceilings for NO X , although the twelve Member States joining the EU in 2004/7 reported combined emissions below their collective NECD ceiling. Three EU-27 member states also reported 2010 NH 3 emissions above the levels of their NECD ceilings, neither of which are in the group of twelve new EU member states. Of the three non-EU countries having emission ceilings for 2010 under the UNECE/CLRTAP Gothenburg protocol (Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), both Liechtenstein and Norway reported NO X emissions in 2010 that were substantially higher than their respective 2010 ceilings. Liechtenstein also reported 2010 NH 3 emissions above the level of their Gothenburg protocol 2010 ceiling.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Emissions of acidifying substances
European Union emission inventory report 1990–2010 under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP): This document is the annual European Union emission inventory report under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). The report and its accompanying data are provided as an official submission to the secretariat for the Executive Body of the LRTAP Convention by the European Commission on behalf of the European Union. The report is compiled by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
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