Page last updated : 30/06/2010

Nitrogen oxides - NOx

Source : CITEPA / SECTEN format - April 2010

Survey period : since 1960

Comments

The level of NOx emissions observed in 2008 reached 1 272 kt. It is a reduction of 7% compared to 2007 (-90 kt).

1980 constituted the year of the highest level of emissions in Mainland France during the period (2 009 kt).

Road transport was the main sector emitting NOx in 2008 as it represented 52% of the emissions in mainland France. Its 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 2007 (less than 1% increase) and even a decrease in 2008 (-1.8%).

Manufacturing industry was the second source of NOx emissions with 12.5% of the emissions in mainland France in 2008. These emissions have reduced by 34% since 1990.

Since 1960, emissions from energy conversion (8% of the emissions in mainland France in 2008) increased sharply reaching their highest level in 1980 (358 kt). The main source was electricity production in account of increasing demand (improved comfort, household electrical appliances development, …). Since 1990, emissions diminished (-34% between 1990 and 2008, -19% between 2007 and 2008).

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 were observed thanks to the change of the directive on the large combustion installations (new emission ceilings for 2008).

Agriculture emissions, third source of emissions (14.2% of the emissions in 2008), came from, for about 38%, cultivated soils, especially with the use of mineral nitrogen fertilizers and the rest from petroleum product combustion. A reduction of 17.4% of the emissions has been observed in this sector since 1990 (-38 kt) in a result of a decrease of energy consumption of the tractors and other vehicles and less nitrogen fertilizers used.

The 2010 target set by the national emission ceilings directive is 810 kt. A strengthening of measures, firstly, would achieve the goal faster and, secondly, would match with the achievement of future goals more ambitious.