Uitstoot broeikasgassen in EU daalt licht (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU 15 are declining, Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström announced yesterday (15 July).

Data released by the European Environment Agency showing a drop of 0.5 per cent in 2002 in the emissions of the six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol.

The main reason for the decrease was a shift from coal to gas and reduced emissions from manufacturing industries and households.

But the EU has committed itself to reduce emissions by eight per cent from 1990 levels by 2008-2012.

The drop is therefore a far cry from the target but follows two years of increase in emissions - of 0.2 per cent in 2000 and 1.3 per cent in 2001.

Mrs Wallström said that efforts must continue. "The majority of member states urgently need to take additional measures to continue to implement measures to tackle climate change", she said.

Only four countries are on track. These are France, Germany, Sweden and the UK. The assessment covers the EU15 only because the 10 new member states were not yet legally obliged to submit data.