Air pollution - National Responses (Lithuania)

The Directive 2001/81/EC on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants was transposed into Lithuanian law in 2003. In accordance with the Ambient Air Protection Act, the Ministry of Environment sets the total maximum emission levels from point sources for the whole of Lithuania and for individual regions. Based on this provision, national emission ceilings have been set and approved for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and VOC. These ceilings cannot be exceeded in 2010 or any subsequent year. In 2008, Lithuania approved the National Programme for Air Emissions Management until 2010 and its implementation plan.

The National Strategy for Sustainable Development sets a target for the industry, energy and transport sectors whereby emissions to air must not increase more than 5% by 2010 against levels for 2001–2005. Lithuania should also abandon the use of ozone-depleting substances by 2015, except for cases where no satisfactory alternatives exist or where the use of alternatives is unacceptable from an economic or technical point of view.