Air pollution - Drivers and pressures (Greece)

Drivers

The main driving forces of environmental pressures on air quality are related to population and economic trends, transport, energy and agricultural demand and household consumption.

From 1991 to 2001, the Greek population increased with an average annual population growth rate of 0.66 % and is estimated to decrease from 0.326 % in 2005 to 0.065 % in 2020 (NSSG, 2009). The number of individuals per household is estimated to decrease annually from 0.43 % in 2000-2005 to 0.37 % in 2010-2015, reflecting ageing of population and new living arrangements (MINENV, 2009).

Between 2000 and 2007, there is a relative decoupling of economic growth from energy use, with total primary energy consumption growing by 13.4 % (Figure 2; GR - EEA CSI 028). Fossil fuels continue to dominate total primary energy consumption and the share of renewables remains small (5.2 % in 2007) (GR - EEA CSI 029).

Transport represents the highest share of the final energy consumption in Greece (38.7 % in 2007, increased by 48 % since 1990). The fastest-growing sector, but with low share, is services (Figure 3; GR – EEA CSI 027).

In 2007, the share of transport towards emissions of ozone precursors was the highest (39.4 %), followed by energy supply (30.8 %; Figure 4; GR - EEA EN05). Energy supply had the highest share in the emissions of acidifying substances (46.8 %; Figure 5; GR - EEA EN06) and secondary particulate matter (52.8 %; Figure 6; GR - EEA EN07).

Emissions of particulate matter and acidifying substances from the transport sector were almost stable between 1990 and 2007, whereas the transport emissions of ozone precursors decreased by 33.5 %. Although the NOx emissions remained the same, there is a great decrease in CO and NMVOC emissions due to the continuing increase of passenger cars with catalytic converters (Figure 7; GR – EEA TERM 03).

Pressures

Table 1 presents the changes in aggregated emissions of acidifying pollutants, ground-level ozone precursors, and primary and secondary particulate matter.

Table 1.            Changes in emissions of air pollutants, 1990-2007

Figure 1.          Percentage of population resident in Metropolitan Area of Athens, potentially exposed to PM₁₀ concentration levels exceeding the daily indicative limit value

Figure 2.          Total energy intensity

Figure 3.          Final energy consumption by sector (shares)

Figure 4.          Sectoral non-energy and energy-related emissions of ozone precursors, 1990-2007

Figure 5.          Sectoral non-energy and energy-related emissions of acidifying pollutants, 1990-2007

Figure 6.          Sectoral shares of secondary particulate matter, 2007

Figure 7.          Transport emissions of air pollutants, 1990-2007

Figure 8.          Emissions of acidifying substances

Figure 9.          Emissions of ozone precursors

Figure 10.         Emissions of primary particulate matter and secondary particulate matter precursors