Post by cerridwen on May 18, 2009 8:35:03 GMT
EU industrial emissions plunge as recession bites
Brussels - Industrial greenhouse-gas emissions fell by 3.06 per cent in the European Union in 2008 as firms stepped up efforts to fight global warming and cut production in the economic crisis, the European Commission said Friday.
Posted : Fri, 15 May 2009 12:05:57 GMT
Brussels - Industrial greenhouse-gas emissions fell by 3.06 per cent in the European Union in 2008 as firms stepped up efforts to fight global warming and cut production in the economic crisis, the European Commission said Friday. That reverses the embarrassing rise in emissions in 2007, when total EU output grew by 0.8 per cent.
But industrial plants in three of the EU's wealthiest members, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands, produced substantially more greenhouse gas than in 2007, raising concerns over their long-term ability to cut emissions in line with international commitments.
In 2005, the EU established the world's first major scheme aimed at fighting global warming by forcing heavy industry to buy permits to emit greenhouse gases.
The emissions trading scheme (ETS) is a major part of the EU's overall plan to cut emissions of the gases which cause global warming to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
And according to figures released by the commission, the EU's executive, on Friday, EU industries cut their combined emissions by 65 million tons, or 3.06 per cent, in 2008 compared with 2007.
That is "partly due to businesses taking measures to cut their emissions," EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said in a statement.
However, the fall was also due to the global economic slowdown, with industrial plants such as power stations and cement factories cutting their production, and therefore their emissions, as the crisis bit, the statement said.
Commission officials were unable to say how much of the 3-per-cent cut was caused by industry reduction efforts, leaving open the question of how effectively EU industry is fighting climate change
.
Doubts also remain over the performance of Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands, where industrial emissions rose by some 14 million tons, or 3.8 per cent, in 2008.
It is the second year running that Britain and the Netherlands have boosted their industrial emissions.
The commission "will monitor" their future performance, but it is "very happy" with the overall EU-wide reduction, commission environment spokeswoman Barbara Helfferich said.
Copyright, respective author or news agency
Brussels - Industrial greenhouse-gas emissions fell by 3.06 per cent in the European Union in 2008 as firms stepped up efforts to fight global warming and cut production in the economic crisis, the European Commission said Friday.
Posted : Fri, 15 May 2009 12:05:57 GMT
Brussels - Industrial greenhouse-gas emissions fell by 3.06 per cent in the European Union in 2008 as firms stepped up efforts to fight global warming and cut production in the economic crisis, the European Commission said Friday. That reverses the embarrassing rise in emissions in 2007, when total EU output grew by 0.8 per cent.
But industrial plants in three of the EU's wealthiest members, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands, produced substantially more greenhouse gas than in 2007, raising concerns over their long-term ability to cut emissions in line with international commitments.
In 2005, the EU established the world's first major scheme aimed at fighting global warming by forcing heavy industry to buy permits to emit greenhouse gases.
The emissions trading scheme (ETS) is a major part of the EU's overall plan to cut emissions of the gases which cause global warming to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
And according to figures released by the commission, the EU's executive, on Friday, EU industries cut their combined emissions by 65 million tons, or 3.06 per cent, in 2008 compared with 2007.
That is "partly due to businesses taking measures to cut their emissions," EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said in a statement.
However, the fall was also due to the global economic slowdown, with industrial plants such as power stations and cement factories cutting their production, and therefore their emissions, as the crisis bit, the statement said.
Commission officials were unable to say how much of the 3-per-cent cut was caused by industry reduction efforts, leaving open the question of how effectively EU industry is fighting climate change
.
Doubts also remain over the performance of Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands, where industrial emissions rose by some 14 million tons, or 3.8 per cent, in 2008.
It is the second year running that Britain and the Netherlands have boosted their industrial emissions.
The commission "will monitor" their future performance, but it is "very happy" with the overall EU-wide reduction, commission environment spokeswoman Barbara Helfferich said.
Copyright, respective author or news agency