Page last updated : 15/05/2008

Nitrogen oxides - NOx

Source : CITEPA / CORALIE SECTEN format - last updated 28 February 2008

Survey period : since 1960

Comments

The level of NOx emissions observed in 2006 reached 1 351 kt. It is a bit more than 4.4% reduction compared to 2005.

1980 constituted the year of the highest level of emissions in Mainland France during the period (1 995 kt).

Since 1960, emissions from energy conversion increase sharply reaching their highest level in 1980 (358 kt). The main source is electricity production in account of increasing demand (improved comfort, household electrical appliances development, …).

During the 1980s, emissions start to diminish in a result of the implementation of the French nuclear power plant programme, energy conservation and environmental legislation for, in one hand, industry and in the other hand, road transport.

In 2006, nearly every sector contributed to NOx emissions in variable proportions, but the main source was still road transport (53% of total mainland France emissions). Emissions are decreasing since 1991 (-562 kt, i.e. -29% for the period 1991-2006). This reduction was essentially observed in manufacturing industry and energy conversion.

Road transport emission contribution has been falling steadily since 1993. It is the result of vehicles gradually being fitted with catalytic converters.

Moreover, emissions continued to decrease especially due to improvements introduced under the programmes EURO III in 2002 for the heavy duty vehicles and EURO 4 in 2005 for the passenger cars with a stability of the traffic between 2002 and 2006.

NOx emissions were also decreasing in the manufacturing industry and the energy conversion sectors since 1980, in a result of best techniques introduced in the industrial installations.

More reductions should be observed in the next years, thanks to the change of the directive on the large combustion installations (new emission ceilings for 2008).