Press Release: Climate change: More coal use pushes up EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2003

The European Environment Agency (EEA) on 21 June 2005 published its 'Annual European Community greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2003 and inventory report 2005' in which it collated national estimates on greenhouse gas emissions across the EU. The main findings were that emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases rose by 1.5% in the EU-25 in 2003 compared with 2002. EU-15 emissions went up by 1.3%. Averaged over the previous five years, EU-15 emissions stood 2.9% below their 1990 level. Under the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, the EU-15 pledged to cut their combined greenhouse gas emissions, averaged over the 2008-2012 period, to 8% below the 1990 level. A rise in coal use for electricity generation pushed up EU emissions of greenhouse gases in 2003.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Environment: Policies: Climate change http://ec.europa.eu/comm/environment/climat/home_en.htm

European Environment Agency: Reports about Europe's environment: Annual European Community greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2003 and inventory report 2005, Technical report No 4/2005 http://reports.eea.europa.eu/technical_report_2005_4/en

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