Commissioner Stravos Dimas has welcomed the EEA’s report which concludes that the European Union’s greenhouse gas emission fell by 0.7% in 2005. However, Mr. Dimas has underlined that member states need to improve their efforts to limit emissions significantly in order to meet the Kyoto target with which the EU-15 is committed.
The report
The EU’s annual inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, carried out by EEA, shows for the 2005 year the followings results:
EU-15 member states: 0.8% drop from 2004 levels
EU-27 member states: 0.7% drop from 2004 levels
EU-15 members: 2.0% decrease in 2005 compared to the base year under the Kyoto Protocol
EU- 27 member states: 1.8% increase in Gross Domestic Production in 2005
Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and Romania contributed most to the 2005 decrease in absolute terms
Poland saw the biggest emissions increase in absolute terms among the EU-12 member states
The decrease in 2005 EU-15 emissions was due mainly to lower CO2 emissions from public electricity and heat production, households and services, and road transport
The European Union submits each year a report about this issue to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC). This organisation oversees the 1997 international Kyoto Protocol in which the EU agreed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 8 % below 1990 levels by 2012.
Related EPHA articles:
EU Commission launches Green Paper on Climate Change
The Kyoto protocol becomes EU law
For further information:
Climate Change Midday Express Press Release 14 June 2007
European Environment Agency (EEA) Press Release 15 June 2007
EEA report on greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2005 (Publish date: 14 June 2007)
European Commission Climate Change Website
European Commission Environment Website
