EU: Romania's 2010 Greenhouse Emissions Down To 47.3 Mln Tons

05.17.2011 By Florentina Dragu

Romanian greenhouse gas emissions dropped to 47.3 million tons in 2010, from 48.6 million tons a year earlier, official data showed Tuesday.

The emissions are well below the country's annual allowance of 74.9 million tons, according to a report from the European Commission.

Emissions of greenhouse gases from businesses participating in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) increased by over 3% in 2010 from a year earlier, but remained below pre-crisis levels.

"The emissions increase in 2010 reflects the economic recovery, but even after the economy coming back to normal, the EU ETS emissions remain well below the cap for the 2008-2012 trading period.

The figures also show that some industrial sectors continue to build up a surplus of allowances to be traded in the third trading period starting in 2013," said Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard.

Romanian polluting companies could sell the remaining 27.6 million carbon dioxide (CO2) allowances for 2010 on local or foreign bourses.

Each allowance represents one ton of greenhouse gas emissions. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Romania's total gas emissions for the 2008-2012 period cannot exceed 379.72 million tons (or 379.72 million allowances).

Polluting companies are allowed to buy and sell CO2 emissions allowances based on their annual emissions targets.

Romania's biggest polluters are steelmaker ArcelorMittal Galati, with total allowances of 71 million for 2008-2012, followed by state-run thermal power producers Turceni (34 million allowances) and Rovinari (28 million allowances) and power producer Electrocentrale Deva (20 million allowances).