PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT BY SAVING ENERGY:UN/ECE RESPONDS TO NEW CHALLENGE
6 February 1997
First Joint Attempt to Limit Excessive Energy Use in Europe
"Energy conservation is beginning to play an increasingly important role in
western European countries, where the potential for reducing energy-related
emissions by conventional "add-on" approaches has to a large extent been
exhausted. In western Europe, up to 25% of sulphur emissions can be cut
through energy-saving measures and changes in the fuel mix," stresses
Kaj Bärlund, Director of the Environment and Human Settlements Division of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE).
"In central and eastern European countries including the former Soviet Union,
this figure would be around 50%," says Mr. K. Bärlund. Emission reduction costs
in these two regions are generally much lower than in west European countries.
This is because central and eastern European countries use large amounts of low-quality coal and because many technologies and appliances are much less efficient
than in western Europe. In the case of carbon dioxide, energy conservation and
fuel switching are practically the only options available for mitigating the
emissions.
To fully harness the potential of energy conservation for reducing adverse
environmental impacts, there is an urgent need to jointly assess energy and
environmental policies. In response to this challenge, the UN/ECE Committee on
Environmental Policy decided recently in Geneva to prepare a White Paper and
Guidelines on European Energy Conservation. The White Paper will draw on the
best experience available in the region in enhancing energy conservation and on
results of case studies to be undertaken in a number of eastern European
economies in transition. It will outline saving potentials and policy options
including environmental assessments. The Guidelines will assist member
Governments to formulate national strategies and policy aims to promote
international cooperation to achieve a high level in energy efficiency in all
European countries by the year 2010.
This UN/ECE endeavour is the first major international energy-related exercise
to be pursued jointly by governmentally designated energy and environment
experts foreseen to be a long term cross-sectoral effort. The initiative is being
strongly supported by Government of Denmark which has taken the lead with the
UN/ECE in coordinating the experts. Broad participation will include the UN/ECE
Committee on Energy through the Energy Efficiency 2000 Project and cooperation
with other relevant international programmes. The International Energy Agency in
Paris and the secretariats of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change and of the Energy Charter Treaty will be actively involved in the process.
The new initiative is expected to support the implementation of the energy
efficiency protocol of the Energy Charter Treaty when the protocol has been
ratified. The White Paper and the Guidelines on European Energy Conservation will
be submitted to the Fourth Ministerial Conference "Environment in Europe" to be
held in Aarhus, Denmark in June 1998.
The Guidelines will attempt to integrate environmental and energy objectives
and to promote a coherent approach to the implementation of energy-related
environmental commitments by all European countries. It is intended to streamline,
prioritise and strengthen the many disparate international activities on energy
conservation in Europe, and to stimulate east-west and east-east business
cooperation and private investment in energy conservation in countries in
transition.
This new concerted action on European Energy Conservation is essential
because the energy sector is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions
responsible for climate change and other harmful pollutants. Fuel combustion
produces emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic
compounds, and particles including dust, as well as metals and radio nuclides.
Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides cause acid rain and spoil natural ecosystems
over long distances. Together with particulate matter they contribute to poor local
air quality. Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds also contribute to
smog threats to human health and plant life.
In 1990, fuel combustion throughout Europe produced some 30% of global
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, some 25% of global sulphur dioxide emissions
and about 20% of global nitrogen oxide emissions. Fuel consumption trends in
Europe are of great importance for the assessment of future environmental
conditions on the continent and world-wide.
According to current projections, primary energy demand could increase in
Europe as a whole, between 1993 and 2010, by 17%. In western Europe the
increase could amount to 20% and in central and eastern Europe - including the
former Soviet Union - by 14%. This would result in an overall increase of 16% in
European carbon dioxide emissions over the same period and might put at stake
emission stabilisation targets envisaged under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
Energy consumption trends have a strong bearing on the prospective emission
levels of other air pollutants in Europe. Current reduction plans under the UN/ECE
Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and its protocols, reflect
the political intentions of European Parties to achieve, by the year 2010, a 40%
reduction in overall sulphur emissions and a 19% reduction in overall emissions of
nitrogen oxides in comparison to 1990 levels. Ongoing negotiations under this
Convention are expected to lead to even more ambitious reduction commitments
for nitrogen oxides in Europe. On the other hand, if current reduction plans are not
implemented, emissions of nitrogen oxides would increase by 3.6% while sulphur
emissions may decrease in Europe by only 16% over the same time period.
A series of studies undertaken within the UN/ECE framework demonstrate that
energy-saving measures are the cheapest options for abating air pollutant
emissions. In addition to reducing air pollution, energy conservation has other
positive environmental impacts: it helps to prevent water pollution, avoid
disturbing natural habitats, and minimise waste generation and the risk of industrial
accidents.