Emissions fell slightly in the EU during '05

By Elisabeth Rosenthal
Published: June 13, 2007

Greenhouse gas emissions from the European Union dropped slightly in 2005, the latest year for which full data is available, the European Environment Agency is reporting.

It was the first drop since 2001. But officials were quick to say that they were unsure whether the data, being published Thursday, reflected a turnaround brought about by new legislation and heightened environmental consciousness, or was a random variation.

There were wide fluctuations reported, with big drops in Finland and Germany masking increases in many other nations, especially Spain and Lithuania.

Over all, emissions are a bit lower than in 1990, and about equal to the levels of 1992. At this rate, progress is not nearly sufficient to meet the goals set by the Kyoto Protocol or the European Commission.

"This is a good step, but if you look at the absolute levels, we're where we were in 1992, so you have to put this in context," said Andreas Barkman, the report's coordinator, who works for the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen. "We will need to see changes of at least this magnitude sustained for the next few years to meet European emissions targets."

Under the Kyoto Protocol, the countries then belonging to the European Union committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 8 percent over the levels of 1990. So far, emissions are down about 1.5 percent over 1990 levels in the original 15 EU countries, the report said.

Beyond Kyoto, the EU has established a goal for member states of reducing emissions 20 percent by the year 2020.

According to the new report, the 15 original members of the EU reduced emissions by eight-tenths of a percentage point between 2004 and 2005. The tally was seven-tenths of a point if new member states were included. This data is part of the annual greenhouse gas inventory report of the European Community submitted to the United Nations as part of the international efforts to track climate change.

Finland decreased emissions by 14.9 percent and Germany by 2.3 percent, the report found, putting 11.9 and 23.5 fewer tons of CO2 into the air, respectively. In both cases, much of the reduction was obtained by switching from coal-burning power plants to cleaner energy sources.

At the other end of the spectrum, the report said, emissions rose in Austria, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. Spain had the worst increase of the Western European states, 3.6 percent. But Lithuania topped the overall list with an annual increase of 7.2 per cent.

"To me these figures - even those in Germany - say that a lot more needs to be done," said Antje Von Broock, who campaigns for international environment policy at Friends of the Earth Germany, in Berlin. "We need to show the world that industrialized countries are willing to contribute to the effort."

She noted that Sigmar Gabriel, the German environment minister, has proposed reducing German emissions by 40 percent over 1990 levels by 2020, a goal that will take aggressive action. But, she complained, Germany still has plans to build new coal power plants and the German auto industry is not meeting voluntary EU standards for greater engine efficiency.

Many of the countries that still have rising emissions, including Spain and Ireland, have enjoyed rapid economic development in the last decade, with increasing industrialization and living standards, Barkman said. That has meant an increase in suburban living as well as more car use, both of which promote large jumps in greenhouse gas emission, studies have shown.

While encouraged by the new report, experts are unsure whether the drop will be sustained.

In many countries, like Germany and the United Kingdom, a big drop was noted in emissions from households and services - 7 million tons less across the EU. But that might simply reflect a mild winter that year, so that less energy was needed for heating.

Many of the statistics in the report had to be interpreted cautiously, experts said.

For example, the report notes that emissions in the expanded 27-nation EU are down by 7.9 percent compared with 1990. But much of that reduction occurred more than a decade ago when economic collapse in the former Eastern Bloc countries resulted in massive factory closure. Now that countries like Lithuania and Slovenia are gaining economic clout, emissions are rebounding.

Also, the latest statistics do not include airplane emissions on international flights that leave the EU. Air travel is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions.

"It is difficult to say that we're at a turning point," Barkman said. "And it's clear that the European Union has to step up emissions reduction, to meet its long-term targets."