Page last updated : 15/06/2009

Nitrogen oxides - NOx

Source : CITEPA / CORALIE SECTEN format - last updated 18 February 2009

Survey period : since 1960

Comments

The level of NO_x emissions observed in 2007 reached 1 345 kt. It is a bit more than 3.7% reduction compared to 2006 (-52 kt).

1980 constituted the year of the highest level of emissions in Mainland France during the period (2 053 kt).

Road transport was the main sector emitting NO_x in 2007 as it represented 53% of the emissions in mainland France .

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 2007.

Manufacturing industry was the second source of NO_x emissions with 14% of the emissions in mainland France in 2007. These emissions have reduced by 29% since 1990.

Since 1960, emissions from energy conversion (9% of the emissions in mainland France ) 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, …).

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.

Agriculture emissions, third source of emissions (11% of the emissions in 2007), come from, for about 40%, cultivated soils, especially with the use of mineral nitrogen fertilizers and the rest from petroleum product combustion. A reduction of 29% of the emissions has been observed in this sector since 1990 (-60 kt) in a result of a decrease of energy consumption of the tractors and other vehicles and less nitrogen fertilizers used.

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).

The target set for 2010 under the NEC Directive requires a diminution of 40% of the emissions compared to the current level.