The EU's greenhouse-gas emissions rose 2.4% in 2010 over 2009 following the financial crisis, but the bloc remains on track for meeting Kyoto Protocol targets, figures released on Friday said.
Early estimates of the 27 European Union (EU) economies, issued by the European Environment Agency (EAA), also showed that the 15 EU members which collectively signed up to Kyoto commitments saw an emissions rise of 2.3% year-on-year.
Greenhouse-gas emissions from Spain, Greece and Ireland decreased but there was a pickup of emissions from Britain and Germany.
Emissions by the EU-15 were 10.7% below the base level set for the commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. The 15 have a collective target of an eight-percent reduction for the period of 2008-2012 compared to 1990, putting that 2.7% ahead of the eight-percent goal.
However, Austria, Italy and Luxembourg were still lagging behind their Kyoto targets at the end of 2010.
The EU-27 do not have a collective commitment under Kyoto. Overall, their emissions were 15.5% lower than 1990 at the end of last year.
However, they have vowed to deepen this to at least 20% by 2020.
{{/usCountry}}However, they have vowed to deepen this to at least 20% by 2020.
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