Air pollutant emissions

Indicator	Indicator past trend		Selected objective to be met by 2020		Indicative outlook for 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 % and PM2.5 - 22 % compared with 2005 levels		SO2,  NOx, NMVOCs, PM2.5   NH3
Air pollutant emissions have decreased and current projections suggest that the EU as a whole is on target to meet its 2020 EU and international air pollutant emission reduction commitments for all but ammonia emissions. The latter increased year-on-year between 2014 and 2016, and it is uncertain whether the ammonia reduction commitment will be met.  For further information on the scoreboard methodology please see Box I.3 in the EEA Environmental indicator report 2018

Setting the scene

The 7th EAP (EU, 2013) sets out commitments to improve the implementation of existing legislation and to secure additional reductions in air pollution. 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. Air quality state and impacts are discussed in the briefings on outdoor air quality in urban areas (AIRS_PO3.1, 2018) and on the eutrophication of terrestrial ecosystems due to air pollution (AIRS_PO1.1, 2018).

Policy targets and progress

The earlier NECD (EU, 2001a) 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) 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 beyond; for the latter see further information in the ‘Outlook beyond 2020’ section.

Anthropogenic emissions of certain air pollutants decreased between 2005 and 2016 in both the EU (Figure 1, left panel) and the EEA-33 (the 33 member countries of the European Environment Agency, including the 28 EU Member States) (Figure 1, right panel). However, NH₃ emissions have slowly increased since 2014 both in the EU and the EEA-33.

A number of Member States have reported emissions above the levels of their 2010 emission ceilings set out in the NECD (EEA, 2018a):

• NO_x: 14 Member States exceeded their emission ceilings in 2010 and two Member States continued to exceed them in 2016 (Austria and Ireland).
• NMVOCs: six Member States exceeded their emission ceilings in 2010 and one Member State (Hungary) continued to exceed it in 2016.
• SO₂: all Member States have met their emission ceilings for SO₂ since 2010.
• NH₃: five Member States (Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands and Spain) exceeded their emission ceilings in 2010 and five Member States (Austria, Croatia, Germany, Ireland and Spain) exceeded their ceilings in 2016.

The new NEC Directive allows Member States, under certain circumstances, to adjust their reported emissions for compliance assessment with the national ceilings. Several Member States have applied to the European Commission for such adjustments, and where these adjustments were approved the number of exceeded ceilings decreased^[1].

Future reductions in emissions are still required in most Member States in order for them to meet their respective emission reduction commitments from 2020 onwards, 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, 2018b

In the paragraphs below, the trends in emissions of the individual pollutants over the 2005 to 2016 period are discussed.

Nitrogen oxides

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emissions continue to decrease and in 2016 they were 35 % below 2005 levels in the EEA-33 and 37 % below 2005 levels in the EU. Emission reductions have, however, not been as great as originally anticipated. This is because real-world driving emissions in the road transport sector — especially from diesel passenger vehicles and vans — have been, on average, four or five times higher than the European emission standards by vehicle type, which all vehicles must meet in a laboratory testing procedure. In 2016, the road transport sector contributed 36 % of total EU NO_x emissions (38 % in the EEA-33).

Sulphur oxides

In 2016, sulphur oxides (SO_x) emissions had fallen by approximately 69 % of their 2005 levels for the EU and 52 % of their 2005 levels for the EEA-33. This means that the EU target of reducing 2020 SOx emissions by 59 % compared with their 2005 levels has already been met. The energy production and distribution sector has been responsible for most of the SOx emissions – 58 % in 2016. This sector has also contributed about 80 % of the reduction in emissions. This has happened for various reasons, including stricter emission limits established under the Large Combustion Plants Directive (EU, 2001b) and the Industrial Emissions Directive (EU, 2010), 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

In 2016, non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions for the EEA-33 and the EU were approximately 25 % and 29 % lower compared with their 2005 levels. This means that the target of reducing the 2020 NMVOC emissions by 28 % compared with their 2005 levels has already been met. The largest source of NMVOC emissions is ‘solvent and product use’. Various EU measures have helped to reduce emissions over the period examined including stricter requirements for industrial facilities, limits on the solvent content of paints and mandatory vapour recovery equipment at petrol stations.    

Ammonia

Ammonia (NH₃) emissions have remained more or less stable since 2005. 2016 emissions fell by 4 % from their 2005 level in the EU^[2], whereas in the EEA-33 they decreased by 0.4 %. Agriculture dominates emissions of NH₃: in 2016, 92 % of emissions came from the agricultural sector. NH₃ emissions 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 emissions is evident in the agricultural sector. In fact, NH₃ emissions increased in the EU for the last three consecutive years (2014-2016) of the period examined; the total increase from 2014 to 2016 was 2 % (2.6 % in the EEA-33). Key reasons behind this recent trend are the increase in amount of animal manure applied to soils — mostly as an organic fertiliser — and the increase in the use of inorganic fertilisers.

Particulate matter 

Emissions of primary PM_2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less) were 21 % lower in 2016 compared with their 2005 levels both in the EEA-33 and in the EU. Most PM_2.5 emissions come from the ‘commercial, institutional and households’ sector, i.e. from small combustion plants at commercial and institutional facilities, as well as from households. The recently agreed Medium Combustion Plants Directive (EU, 2015) will help reduce future emissions of PM_2.5 from many facilities. It remains, however, challenging to reduce emissions from residential combustion, which is the largest source of PM_2.5 emissions (51 % of total PM_2.5 emissions in the EU in 2016). Furthermore, it continues to be a challenge to reduce emissions from road transport, which is the second largest source of PM_2.5 (11 % of total PM_2.5 emissions in the EU in 2016) (EEA, 2018b).

Overall assessment at EU level

National air pollutant emission projections reported in 2017 and 2018 and aggregated by the European Environment Agency (EEA) at EU level suggest that the EU as a whole is on target to meet 2020 EU and international emission reduction commitments, with the potential exception of ammonia (EEA own calculations based on EEA 2018c). 2020 reduction commitments for non methane volatile organic compounds and sulphur oxides emissions were already met in 2016. Further efforts in reducing the emissions of nitrogen oxides and of fine particulate matter may be necessary in order to remain on track to meeting the 2020 emission reduction commitments related to these two air pollutants. Ammonia emission projection results, as well as the increase in ammonia emissions for the past 3 years in a row (2014 - 2016), make the outlook for meeting 2020 reduction commitments for ammonia uncertain.

Country level information

Table 1 compares 2016 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. Projected emissions reported by all Member States in 2017 and 2018 show that 20 countries do not consider themselves on track towards meeting their reduction commitments set for 2020 for one or more of the pollutants (NOx, NH3, NMVOCs, SO2 and/or PM2.5) on the basis of policies and measures currently in place (EEA, 2018a). Regarding non-EU EEA member countries, the 2020 emission reduction commitments correspond to those in the Gothenburg Protocol. The colours indicate to what extent 2016 emissions exceeded the 2020 emission reduction commitment for each country and for the EU as a whole.

Table 1. 2016 emissions of air pollutants and 2020 air pollutant emission reduction commitments (Gothenburg Protocol or National Emission Ceilings Directive) by country

Source: EEA, 2018c, 2018d

As noted earlier, future reductions in emissions will still be required in most countries for them to 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 from 2020 onwards, but also 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 the EU is to achieve the long-term objective — set in the European Commission’s ‘Clean Air Programme for Europe’ (EC, 2013) — of air pollution levels that do not lead to unacceptable harm to human health and the environment (EEA, 2018a). A number of EU level measures already taken will start to deliver benefits in the next decade including the Medium Combustion Plants Directive and Best Available Techniques conclusions for a number of sectors such as the large combustion plants sector.

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 2016. Data for the EU Member States are taken from the latest EU emission inventory submission to the UNECE Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) Convention. Data for the non-EU countries that are members of the EEA are taken from the reporting under the UNECE LRTAP Convention to the LRTAP Centre on Emission Inventories and Projections (EEA, 2018c, 2018d, 2018e).

Footnotes and references