European Environment Agency: EU GHG emissions up 2.4% in 2010

Europe's emissions reversed direction in 2010, rising by 2.4% from the previous year, according to preliminary data released on 7 October by the European Environment Agency (EEA). This followed a 7.1% drop in 2009.

The rise was expected because of the economic recovery that followed the biggest crisis in recent decades. A cold winter in 2010 was also a contributing factor, with increased demand for heating in the residential and commercial sectors.

The largest increases last year were in the UK, Netherlands, Germany and Poland, the data show. The biggest drop was in the struggling economies of Spain, Greece and Ireland. Emissions in Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus also fell slightly.

In total, EU emissions were 15.5% below 1990 levels, a slight step back from the extraordinary 17.3% figure reported in 2009 when the economy collapsed.

Member states will have to adopt additional measures if the EU is to meet its 20% target for 2020, EEA notes. With existing measures in place, it predicts Europe will be 19% below 1990 levels by that date. But it could breach this 1% gap and even reach -25% if measures planned in the transport and residential sectors are implemented.

Eleven countries, including the UK, Poland, France and Portugal, are likely to achieve their individual targets for non-ETS sectors with existing measures. Seven other countries, including Austria, Germany and Finland, will have to take further action domestically.

But domestic cuts in Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia and Sweden will not be enough, even with additional measures. These countries will have to buy carbon credits on the international market, says the agency.

EEA also reviewed progress towards meeting the EU-15's Kyoto target for 2012. Preliminary data show emissions in the region were down 10.6% from 1990 levels in 2010. This compares to about -12.7% in 2009, but is still well below the Kyoto target.

Austria, Italy and Luxembourg are not on track to meet their individual targets. There is a significant risk that the EU-15 will miss its target if these three countries do not comply with their individual targets. They will have to make further domestic cuts or buy credits. Other states with surplus allowances (AAUs) may also bail them out.

Source: ENDS Europe