AP2 – EEA-32 Nitrogen oxides NOx emissions Key messages • EEA-32 emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) have decreased by 31% between 1990 and 2005. In 2005, the most significant sources of NOx emissions were the road transport sector (38%), combustion processes from within the energy industries sector (21%) and industrial energy use (15%) and the non-road transport sector (14%). • The largest reduction of emissions since 1990 has occurred in the road transport sector. These reductions have been achieved despite the general increase in activity within this sector since the early 1990s and have primarily been achieved as a result of fitting three- way catalysts to petrol fuelled vehicles. In the electricity/energy production sector reductions have also occurred, in these instances as a result of measures such as the introduction of combustion modification technologies (such as use of low NOx burners), implementation of flue-gas abatement techniques (e.g. NOx scrubbers and selective (SCR) and non-selective (SNCR) catalytic reduction techniques) and fuel-switching from coal to gas. • The National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD) specifies NOx emission ceilings for Member States that must be met by 2010. In general, the newer Member States have made substantially better progress towards meeting their respective NOx ceilings than the older Member States of the EU-15. Ten of the twelve post-2004 Member States have already reduced emissions beyond what is required under the NECD, or are very close to doing so (Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia). In contrast, only one EU-15 Member State (Greece) has emissions within its respective national ceiling. Many Member States therefore must make significant cuts to NOx emissions in the immediate coming years if they are to meet their obligations under the NECD. • Environmental context: NOx contributes to acid deposition and eutrophication. The subsequent impacts of acid deposition can be significant, including adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems in rivers and lakes and damage to forests, crops and other vegetation. Eutrophication can lead to severe reductions in water quality with subsequent impacts including decreased biodiversity, changes in species composition and dominance, and toxicity effects. It is NO2 that is associated with adverse affects on human health, as at high concentrations it can cause inflammation of the airways. NO2 also contributes to the formation of secondary particulate aerosols and tropospheric ozone in the atmosphere - both are important air pollutants due to their adverse impacts on human health. 1 Figure 1: Emission trends of NOx for a) EEA-32; b) EU-15; c) New EU-12; d) EFTA-4 and e) CC-3 Figure 1a) EEA-32 120 20000 100 15000 80 60 Index 10000 kt emission kt 40 5000 20 0 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 Nitrogen Oxide Notes: No data available for Iceland Figure 1b) EU-15 120 16000 14000 100 12000 80 10000 60 8000 Index NECD Target 6000 emission kt 40 4000 20 2000 0 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 Nitrogen Oxide NECD Target path 2010 NECD Target 2 Figure 1c) New EU-12 120 4000 100 3500 3000 80 2500 NECD Target 60 Index 2000 kt emission 40 1500 1000 20 500 0 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 Nitrogen Oxide NECD Target path 2010 NECD Target Figure 1d) EFTA-4 120 400 100 350 80 300 250 60 Index 200 kt emission 40 150 100 20 50 0 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 Nitrogen oxide Notes: Data for Iceland not available 3 Figure 1e) CC-3 160 140 1000 120 800 100 80 600 Index kt emission kt 60 400 40 200 20 0 0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 Nitrogen Oxide 4 1 Figure 2: The contribution made by main economic sectors ( ) to NOx emissions in 2005 (%) for a) EEA-32; b) EU-15; c) New EU-12; d) EFTA-4 and e) CC-3. Figure 2a) EEA-32 Road Transport 38.2% Other Transport 14.3% Other (Non Energy) 0.0% Waste Other (Energy) 0.9% 7.5% Agriculture 1.6% Industry (Processes) 2.0% Energy Industries Industry (Energy) 20.7% 14.5% Fugitive Emissions 0.3% Notes: No data available for Iceland 1 ‘Energy industry’: emissions from public heat and electricity generation, oil refining and production of solid fuels; ‘Fugitive emissions’: emissions from extraction and distribution of solid fossil fuels and geothermal energy; ‘Industry (Energy)’: emissions from combustion processes used in the manufacturing industry including boilers, gas turbines and stationary engines; ‘Industry (processes)’: emissions derived from non-combustion related processes such as the production of minerals, chemicals and metal production; ‘Other (Energy)’: emissions principally occurring from fuel combustion in the services and household sectors; ‘Other (non-energy): non-combustion related emissions mainly in the services and households sectors including activities such as paint application, dry-cleaning and other use of solvents; ‘Road transport’: combustion-related emissions from light and heavy duty vehicles, passenger cars and motorcycles and including tyre and brake-wear abrasion; ‘Off-road transport’: railways, domestic shipping, certain aircraft movements, and non-road mobile machinery used in agriculture and forestry; ‘Agriculture’: emissions derived from agriculture-related activities including manure management, fertiliser application and field-burning of agricultural wastes; ‘Waste’: incineration, waste-water management. 5 Figure 2b) EU-15 Road Transport 40.50% Other Transport 14.25% Other (Non Energy) 0% Waste 0.32% Other (Energy) 6.46% Agriculture 1.96% Industry (Processes) 1.93% Energy Industries Industry (Energy) 19.60% 14.68% Fugitive Emissions 0.28% Figure 2c) New EU-12 Road Transport 35.31% Other Transport 10.30% Other (Non Energy) 0% Other (Energy) 7.69% Waste 3.80% Industry (Processes) 2.51% Agriculture 0.40% Industry (Energy) 12.04% Energy Industries Fugitive Emissions 27.73% 0.20% 6 Figure 2d) EFTA-4 Other Transport Road Transport 38.8% 27.7% Waste 0.2% Agriculture Other (Non Energy) 1.6% 0.0% Other (Energy) Energy Industries 4.8% 16.1% Industry (Processes) 3.0% Fugitive Emissions Industry (Energy) 2.5% 5.3% Notes: Data for Iceland not available Figure 2e) CC-3 Other Transport 16.6% Road Transport Other (Non Energy) 29.4% 0.1% Other (Energy) 15.4% Waste 0.0% Agriculture 0.9% Industry (Processes) 1.6% Energy Industries 17.1% Industry (Energy) Fugitive Emissions 18.8% 0.1% 7 Figure 3: Change (%) in NOx emissions in each sector 1990 – 2005, for a) EEA-32; b) EU-15; c) New EU-12; d) EFTA-4 and e) CC-3 (%). Figure 3a) EEA-32 Waste -17% Unallocated -44% Road Transport -38% Other Transport -10% Other (Non Energy) 8% Other (Energy) -4% Industry (Processes) -30% Industry (Energy) -31% Fugitive Emissions -25% Energy Industries -38% Agriculture -22% -50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% Notes: No data available for Iceland Figure 3b) EU-15 Waste -0.6% Unallocated -28.6% Road Transport -42.0% Other Transport -13.7% Other (Non Energy) 18.0% Other (Energy) 0.5% Industry (Processes) 0.2% Industry (Energy) -24.0% Fugitive Emissions -31.5% Energy Industries -36.9% Agriculture -20.3% -50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 8 Figure 3c) New EU-12 Waste -22% Unallocated -83% Road Transport -24% Other Transport -44% Other (Non Energy) 1% Other (Energy) -30% Industry (Processes) -65% Industry (Energy) -65% Fugitive Emissions 14% Energy Industries -52% Agriculture -50% -90% -70% -50% -30% -10% 10% Figure 3d) EFTA-4 Waste -56% Unallocated -100% Road Transport -53% Other Transport 9% Other (Non Energy) -1% Other (Energy) -30% Industry (Processes) -27% Industry (Energy) -40% Fugitive Emissions -17% Energy Industries 48% Agriculture -25% -100% -80% -60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% Notes: Data for Iceland not available 9 Figure 3e) CC-3 Waste -82% Unallocated 315% -> Road Transport 22% Other Transport 346% -> Other (Non Energy) 33% Other (Energy) 23% Industry (Processes) -18% Industry (Energy) 77% Fugitive Emissions -13% Energy Industries 108% Agriculture 1% -100% -80% -60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% 10 Figure 4: The percentage contribution made by each sector with respect to the total change in NOx emissions 1990 – 2005, for a) EEA-32; b) EU-15; c) New EU-12; d) EFTA-4 and e) CC-3 (%) Figure 4a) EEA-32 Waste -0.4% Unallocated 4.1% Road Transport -52.7% Other Transport -3.7% Other (Non Energy) 0.0% Other (Energy) -0.7% Industry (Processes) -2.0% Industry (Energy) -14.7% Fugitive Emissions -0.2% Energy Industries -28.6% Agriculture -1.0% -60% -50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% Notes: No data available for Iceland Figure 4b) EU-15 Waste 0% Unallocated -0.02% Road Transport -60.74% Other Transport -4.68% Other (Non Energy) 0% Other (Energy) 0.06% Industry (Processes) 0.01% Industry (Energy) -9.62% Fugitive Emissions -0.27% Energy Industries -23.70% Agriculture -1.03% -70% -60% -50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 11 Figure 4c) New EU-12 Waste -1.64% Unallocated 27.45% Road Transport -17.76% Other Transport -12.57% Other (Non Energy) 0% Other (Energy) -5.14% Industry (Processes) -7.41% Industry (Energy) -34.78% Fugitive Emissions 0.04% Energy Industries -47.56% Agriculture -0.63% -50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% Figure 4d) EFTA-4 Waste -0.77% Unallocated 0.16% Road Transport -101.85% Other Transport 10.82% Other (Non Energy) 0.00% Other (Energy) -6.76% Industry (Processes) -3.63% Industry (Energy) -11.30% Fugitive Emissions -1.66% Energy Industries 16.79% Agriculture -1.80% -110% -90% -70% -50% -30% -10% 10% Notes: Data for Iceland not available 12 Figure 4e) CC-3 Waste 0% Unallocated 49% Road Transport -21% Other Transport -51% Other (Non Energy) 0% Other (Energy) -11% Industry (Processes) 1% Industry (Energy) -32% Fugitive Emissions 0% Energy Industries -35% Agriculture 0% -60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% Environmental context Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are together referred to as nitrogen oxides (NOx).