Indicator Assessment
15 Aug 2017
Anthropogenic emissions of the main air pollutants decreased significantly in most EEA member countries between 1990 and 2015:
emissions of nitrogen oxides decreased by 52 % (56 % in the EU-28);
emissions of sulphur oxides decreased by 83 % (89 % in the EU-28);
emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds decreased by 59 % (61 % in the EU-28);
emissions of ammonia decreased by 18 % (23 % in the EU-28);
emissions of fine particulate matter decreased by 28 % (26 % in the EU-28) from 2000.
The EU-28 met its continuing obligation to maintain emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, ammonia and non-methane volatile organic compounds below legally binding targets, as specified by the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD). Some EU Member States reported emissions that were above their NECD emission ceilings: six countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg) exceeded emission ceilings for nitrogen oxides , six (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Spain and Sweden) exceeded emission ceilings for ammonia and five (Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Luxembourg) exceeded emission ceilings for non-methane volatile organic compounds. There are no emission ceilings for primary fine particulate matter .
Emission ceilings were set for 2010 for two additional EEA member countries (Norway and Switzerland) in the Gothenburg Protocol under the 1979 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Norway reported emissions above their ammonia ceilings .
Emission reduction commitments for 2020 have been set under the revised Gothenburg Protocol . The EU-28 as a whole is on track to meet reduction commitments .
Indicator Assessment
15 Aug 2017
The emissions of a number of compounds categorised as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) decreased between 1990 and 2015 in the EEA-33, e.g. hexachlorobenzene (HCB) by 97 %, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by 77 %, dioxins and furans by 85 % and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by 89 %.
Although the majority of countries report that POP emissions fell during this period, some report that emissions increased.
In 2015, the most significant sources of emissions for these POPs included the ‘Commercial, institutional and households’ (23 % of HCB, 41 % of dioxins and furans, 56 % of PAHs and 18 % of PCBs) and ‘Industrial processes and product use’ (22 % of HCB and 51 % of PCBs) sectors.
Data on emissions of air pollutants submitted to the LRTAP Convention and copied to EEA
The Directive on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants (LCP Directive, 2001/80/EC) applies to combustion plants with a rated thermal input equal to or greater than 50 MW, irrespective of the type of fuel used (solid, liquid or gaseous).
Information on urban population exposed to air pollutants concentration above the EU air quality objectives by country for year 2014. Variations from country to country are not only related to the different pollutant concentrations but also to the number of available data series (monitoring stations and/or selected cities), that will influence the total number of monitored population the uneven distribution of traffic and background stations in the different countries
The map shows the 90.4 percentile of the PM10 daily mean concentrations, representing the 36th highest value in a complete series. It is related to the PM10 daily limit value, which allows 35 exceedances of the 50 μg/m3 threshold over a 1 year period. The red and dark-red dots indicate stations with exceedances of this daily limit value. Only stations with more than 75 % valid data have been included in the map.
The figure shows the annual mean concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) observed at traffic stations in 2014.
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GIS Map Application
16 Apr 2014
The maps were derived for 2007, 2008 and 2010 primarily from Airbase background station monitoring data, few EMEP station monitoring data, supplemented with altitude, meteorological ECMWF data and EMEP concentration modelling data. The dataset has been reorganised in order to improve data harmonization among years and to facilitate storage and processing of the interpolated maps for the EEA data services.
GIS Map Application
16 Apr 2014
The maps are derived primarily from Airbase background station monitoring data, few EMEP station monitoring data, supplemented with altitude, meteorological ECMWF data and EMEP concentration modelling data. The dataset has been reorganised in order to improve data harmonization among years and to facilitate storage and processing of the interpolated maps for the EEA data services.
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