Air pollutant emissions

Indicator	Indicator past trend		Selected objective to be met by 2020		Indicative outlook of the EU meeting the selected objective by 2020
Emissions of the main air pollutants in Europe (sulphur oxides: SO2; nitrogen oxides: NOx; ammonia: NH3; non-methane volatile organic compounds: NMVOCs; fine particulate matter: PM2.5)	EU 28 SO2, NOx, NMVOCs,  PM2.5 NH3	EEA 33 SO2, NOx, NMVOCs, PM2.5 NH3	Reduce air pollutant emissions in accordance with the requirements of the amended Gothenburg Protocol and of the new EU National Emission Ceilings Directive by the following percentages: SO2 59 %, NOX 42 %, NH3 6 %, NMVOCs 28 %, PM2.5 22 % compared with 2005 levels		SO2,  NOx, NMVOCs, PM2.5   NH3
Air pollutant emissions have declined and current projections suggest that the EU is on target to meet its 2020 EU and international air pollutant emission reduction commitments. However, since ammonia emissions increased the past two years (2014 and 2015) it has become uncertain if the ammonia reduction commitment will be met by 2020   For further information on the scoreboard methodology please see Box I.3 in the EEA Environmental indicator report 2017

Setting the scene

Air pollution is responsible for more than 400 000 premature deaths in Europe each year. It also harms crop growth and ecosystems, and damages the built environment (EEA, 2016). In Europe, the most problematic pollutants in terms of harm to human health are particulate matter (PM), ground-level ozone (O₃) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) (EEA, 2016). PM is emitted directly from emission sources but can also form in the atmosphere from various precursor pollutants including sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and ammonia (NH₃). Ground-level O₃ is similarly formed in the atmosphere from various precursor species including NO_x and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Each of these pollutants can contribute to premature mortality and morbidity including respiratory illness and cardiovascular disease. SO₂, NO_x and NH₃ also cause ecosystem acidification and eutrophication, as well as damage to buildings and vegetation. When absorbed by plants, O₃ damages plant cells, impairing their ability to grow and reproduce, and leading to reduced agricultural crop yields, decreased forest growth and reduced biodiversity. The 7th EAP (EU, 2013) sets out commitments to improve the implementation of existing legislation and to secure additional reductions in air pollution. Air quality state and impacts are discussed in the briefings on outdoor air quality in urban areas (AIRS_PO3.1, 2017) and on the eutrophication of terrestrial ecosystems due to air pollution (AIRS_PO1.1, 2017).

Policy targets and progress

The earlier NECD (EU, 2001) and the Gothenburg Protocol (UNECE, 1979) set emission ceilings for 2010 for European countries for SO_x (SO₂ in the NECD), NO_x, NMVOCs and NH₃. The 2012 amended Gothenburg Protocol (UNECE, 2012) and the new NECD (EU, 2016) now also set 2020 emission reduction commitments for these same four pollutants, as well as for primary PM_2.5 emissions. The new NECD ensures that the old NECD 2010 emission ceilings apply until the end of 2019, transposes the amended Gothenburg Protocol 2020 reduction commitments and sets more ambitious reduction commitments for 2030 and the years beyond; for the latter see further information in the ‘Outlook beyond 2020’ section.

Anthropogenic emissions of certain air pollutants have decreased in both the EU (Figure 1, left panel) and the EEA-33 (the 33 member countries of the European Environment Agency, which includes the 28 EU Member States) between 2005 and 2015 (Figure 1, right panel). However, for both NH₃ and PM_2.5, little progress has been made in reducing emissions.

A number of Member States have reported emissions above the levels of their 2010 emission ceilings set out in the NECD (EEA, 2017a):

• NO_x: 13 Member States exceeded their emission ceilings in 2010 and six Member States continued to exceed them in 2015 (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg).
• NMVOCs: six Member States exceeded their emission ceilings in 2010 and five Member States continued to exceed them in 2015 (Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Luxembourg).
• SO₂: all Member States have met their emission ceilings for SO₂ since 2010.
• NH₃: six Member States (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Spain) have exceeded their emission ceilings since 2010.

The new NEC Directive allows Member States, under certain circumstances, to adjust their reported emissions for compliance assessment with the national ceilings. In 2017, adjustment applications were submitted by nine Member States (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and Spain). These applications are being reviewed by the European Commission, and if approved, the number of Member States exceeding one or more emission ceilings in 2015 would decrease.

Future reductions in emissions are still required in most Member States in order for them to meet their respective emission reduction commitments for 2020, as set out in the amended Gothenburg Protocol and the new NECD.

Figure 1. Trends in emissions of air pollutants in the EU (left) and in the EEA-33 (right)

Source: National emissions reported to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP Convention), EEA, 2017b

Note: All emissions presented here for 2015 both at EU and EEA-33 level are underestimated since they do not account for the emissions from Greece; Greece did not report as yet its 2015 emissions.

In the paragraphs below, the trends in emissions of the individual pollutants over the 2005 to 2015 period are discussed.

Nitrogen oxides

NO_x emissions for the EEA-33 and the EU continue to decrease and are more than 30 % below 2005 levels. Emission reductions have, however, not been as great as originally anticipated. This is because real-world driving emissions in the road transport sector — especially for diesel passenger vehicles and vans — are, on average, four or five times higher than the European emission standards by vehicle type that all vehicles must meet in a laboratory testing procedure. The transport sector contributed 39 % of total EU NO_x emissions (38 % in the EEA 33).

Sulphur oxides

In 2015, SO_x emissions had fallen by approximately 64 % of their 2005 levels for the EU and 51 % of their 2005 levels for the EEA-33. The energy production and distribution sector has been responsible for the largest reductions in emissions. This has happened for various reasons, including the closure of a number of old or uneconomical large combustion plants, which typically burn coal, and improvements in energy efficiency at industrial facilities, which have also reduced emissions.

Non-methane volatile organic compounds

NMVOC emissions for the EEA-33 and the EU have fallen by approximately 24 % and 27 % compared with their 2005 levels. The largest source of NMVOC emissions is ‘solvent and product use’. Various EU measures have helped to reduce emissions over the last decade, including stricter requirements for industrial facilities, limits on the solvent content of paints and mandatory vapour recovery equipment at petrol stations. However, compared with 2014, NMVOC emissions in 2015 increased slightly, i.e. by 0.4 % in the EU and by 0.7 % in the EEA-33.   

Ammonia

NH₃ emissions have remained largely stable since 2005 compared with the other pollutants — they fell by only 3 % from their 2005 level in the EU, while in the EEA-33 they have increased by 0.1 % since 2005^[1]. Agriculture dominates emissions of NH₃: they arise primarily from the decomposition of animal manure and the application of fertiliser. There are a number of technical measures available to mitigate ammonia emissions, yet little progress in reducing them is evident in the agricultural sector. However, in 2014 and 2015, NH₃ emissions increased in the EU by 1.1 % and 1.8 % respectively (and by 1 % and 0.9 % in the EEA-33). One main reason for the high or even rising NH₃ emissions in some countries is the increasing number of pig or poultry facilities without implementing measures and/or technologies to limit emissions.

Particulate matter 

Emissions of primary PM_2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less) have reduced by almost 20 % for both the EEA-33 and the EU compared with their 2005 levels. Most PM_2.5 emissions come from small combustion plants at commercial and institutional facilities, as well as from households. Although the recently agreed Medium Combustion Plants Directive (EU, 2015) will help reduce future emissions of PM_2.5 from many facilities, it remains challenging for many authorities to regulate and reduce emissions from residential combustion. The latter is an important source of air pollution in many Member States. Road transport is the second most important source of PM_2.5.

Current projections suggest that the EU is on target to meet the 2020 EU and international emission reduction commitments (IIASA, 2014). However, the increase in ammonia emissions for the past two years in a row (2014 and 2015) results in an uncertain outlook for meeting by 2020 the reduction commitments for ammonia.

Table 1 compares the 2015 emissions by country with the respective emission reduction commitments for 2020. With regard to the EU Member States, the 2020 emission reduction commitments correspond to those of the new NECD. Regarding non-EU EEA member countries, the 2020 emission reduction commitments correspond to those in the Gothenburg Protocol. The colours indicate to what extent 2015 emissions exceeded the 2020 emission reduction commitment for each country and for the EU as a whole.

Table 1. 2015 emissions of air pollutants and 2020 air pollutant emission reduction commitments (Gothenburg Protocol or National Emission Ceilings Directive), by country

Source: EEA, 2017 b, 2017 d

As noted earlier, future reductions in emissions will still be required in most countries so that they meet their respective emission reduction commitments for 2020. However, a number of countries already report emissions below the level required by 2020.

Outlook beyond 2020

In 2016 the EU adopted a new NECD, which sets emission reduction commitments for NO_x, NMVOCs, SO₂, NH₃ and PM_2.5 for 2020 as well as more ambitious reduction commitments for 2030 and beyond. The 2030 commitments aim to cut the health impacts of air pollution (in terms of premature mortality) by half compared with 2005. Additional measures beyond the new NECD are still needed if Europe is to achieve the long-term objective of air pollution levels that do not lead to unacceptable harm to human health and the environment.

About the indicator

This indicator deals with the emissions of key anthropogenic air pollutants. It covers anthropogenic emissions of the air pollutants SO_x, NO_x, NH₃, NMVOCs, and PM_2.5 for the years 2005 to 2015. Data for the EU Member States are taken from the latest EU emission inventory submission to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) Convention. Data for the non-EU countries that are members of the European Environment Agency are taken from the reporting under the UNECE LRTAP Convention to the LRTAP Centre on Emission Inventories and Projections (EEA, 2017a, 2017b).