Emissions to air, 2001, preliminary figures

This is shown in new figures from Statistics Norway and the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority.

The increase equals estimated emissions from one gas power plant

Norway has signed the Kyoto Protocol, which commits to increase the emissions in 2008-2012 by no more than 1 per cent, compared to the 1990 level. Norway's total greenhouse gas emissions have, however, increased by as much as 8 per cent in the period 1990-2001. The increase from 2000 to 2001 was 2 per cent. In 2001, CO₂ made up three quarters of the Norwegian greenhouse gas emissions, measured as CO₂ equivalents. This gas also accounts for almost all of last year's increase in total emissions. The increase was as much as 3 per cent or 1.1 million tonnes. This equals approximately the estimated emissions from each of the planned gas power plants at Kårstø and Kollsnes.

The emission increase offshore continued in 2001

Emissions from electricity production offshore increased by 11 per cent in 2001 compared to the 2000 level, while emissions from flaring were reduced by 19 per cent. Combustion emissions from oil and gas production alone now make up 17 per cent of the Norwegian greenhouse gas emissions measured as CO₂ equivalents. These emissions have increased by almost 50 per cent from 1990.

Higher emissions from road traffic than ever

CO₂ emissions from road traffic increased by 6 per cent from 2000 and road traffic now makes up 23 per cent of the CO₂ emissions. The increase is due to more use of private cars than ever. List prices for gasoline and auto diesel in 2001 were more than NOK 1 lower than the year before. Additionally, the emission figures for road traffic in 2000 were unreasonably low because of stock changes caused by tax reforms (see article on the 2000 figures). The Norwegian road traffic index shows an increase from 2000 at 2.4 per cent in driven kilometers on Norwegian roads, which is somewhat lower than the emission increase. Compared to 1999, CO₂ emissions from road traffic have increased by a little more than 2 per cent.

While road traffic increases, air transport has an opposite development. CO₂ emissions from domestic air transport were reduced by 21 per cent from 1999 to 2000. The decrease continued in 2001, but only by 2 per cent from the year before. The decrease in emissions from air transport is mainly due to fewer departures.

New increase of use of oil products in manufacturing industries

Parts of the manufacturing industries can, for some purposes, choose between use of electricity and oil, i.a. depending on price conditions. In 2000 this led to a considerable reduction in use of oil at many plants, which led to a decrease in emissions of greenhouse gases that year. In 2001, however, the use of oil products was approaching the 1999 level, causing an emission increase for some manufacturing industries, compared to the preceding year.

Decrease in process emissions

While combustion emissions in manufacturing industries rise as a result of changeover to more use of oil products, emissions from industrial processes have declined somewhat. This is due to a slump affecting parts of the industry, causing lower production. In particular, the decrease was high for production of ferroalloys, where reduced production led to an 8 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions in 2001, compared to the preceding year. Emissions from production of fertilizer and cement were also reduced noticeably. Emissions from aluminium production rose, however.

Emissions from nitrogen oxides, NMVOC and ammonia are treated in a separate article .