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Published: 25 May 2016

Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased further

According to Statistics Finland’s instant preliminary data, the total emissions of greenhouse gases in 2015 corresponded with 55.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2 eq.). Emissions fell by around six per cent compared with the previous year and were 22 per cent lower than in 1990. The consumption of natural gas and coal declined in the energy sector. Emissions from the non-emissions trading sector went down by half a per cent and were below the annual emission allocations set by the EU by 0.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Development of greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Finland in 1990 to 2015*

*The data concerning 2015 are instant preliminary data

Statistics Finland releases instant preliminary data on greenhouse gas emissions of the year by sector and broken down between emissions trading sources and non-emissions trading sectors. More information on greenhouse gas emissions, their development and factors affecting the development, as well as the fulfilment of international obligations can be found in Statistics Finland's report Finland's greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 to 2015 (only in Finnish).

According to the instant preliminary data, total emissions decreased by six per cent from 2014. Emissions in the energy sector fell by close on eight per cent year-on-year. The biggest reason was the decrease in the consumption of coal and natural gas. Preliminary data on total energy consumption in 2015 released by Statistics Finland has been used in the calculation of the energy sector. In the industrial processes and product use sector, emissions rose by one per cent year-on-year, the growth was most affected by emissions from the chemical industry that increased by 12 per cent. Emissions from agriculture remained at the same level as in 2014. Emissions from waste management decreased by around four per cent. The carbon sink of the LULUCF sector grew by 11 per cent.

Emissions from sources in the non- emission trading sector are calculated as the difference between the total emission and verified emissions of the emissions trading sector, excluding CO2 emissions from domestic civil aviation according to the inventory. The data on the verified emissions of the emissions trading sector are published by the Energy Authority. Annual emission allocations for the years 2013 to 2020 have been defined in the EU's effort sharing decision for emissions from the non-emissions trading sector. According to the now released data, emissions from the non-emissions trading sector are below the annual emission allocations in 2013 to 2015. More information in Finnish is available in the Review of the release (only in Finnish).

Greenhouse gas emissions and removals by sector broken down between emissions trading sources and non-emissions trading sectors in 2005, 2008 to 2010 and 2013 to 2014 (million t CO2 eq.)

	2005	2008	2009	2010	2013	2014	2015 1)	Change, 2014-2015
Emissions without LULUCF sector 2)	69.5	71.3	67.7	75.9	63.3	59.1	55.7	-3.4
CO2 emissions from civil aviation	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.0
Emissions trading sector emissions 3)	33.1	36.2	34.4	41.3	31.5	28.8	25.5	-3.3
Energy sector	29.6	31.8	30.9	37.3	27.6	25.0	21.9	-3.1
Industrial processes	3.6	4.3	3.5	4.1	4.0	3.7	3.6	-0.1
Difference between the    emissions trading    registry and the    inventory 4)	-0.1	0.0	0.0	-0.1	-0.1	0.0
Non- emissions trading sector emissions 5)	36.1	34.9	33.1	34.4	31.6	30.1	30.0	-0.2
Energy sector	23.8	22.3	21.3	22.6	20.6	19.2	18.9	-0.3
Transport 5)	12.6	12.5	12.0	12.5	12.0	10.9	10.9	0.1
Energy, other         than transport	11.1	9.8	9.4	10.1	8.6	8.3	7.9	-0.4
Industrial processes    and products use	2.9	3.3	2.6	2.5	2.1	2.3	2.4	0.2
Industrial processes        (excl. F-gases ) 6)	2.0	1.9	1.1	0.7	0.4	0.5	0.7	0.3
Consumption of         F-gases 6)	0.9	1.4	1.5	1.8	1.6	1.8	1.7	-0.1
Agriculture	6.4	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.5	0.0
Waste management	2.8	2.7	2.6	2.6	2.3	2.2	2.1	-0.1
Indirect CO2 emissions	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0
Difference between the     emissions trading     registry an the     inventory  4)	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.0
LULUCF sector 2)	-29.4	-26.8	-39.5	-27.1	-20.3	-20.8	-23.0	-2.2

1) Proxy estimate
2) LULUCF refers to the land use, land use change and forestry sector. The sector does not come under the scope of the emissions trading scheme or the reduction targets under the effort sharing decision
3) Source: Energy Authority. In 2013, emissions trading was expanded with new sectors
4) The divergence caused by the methodological and definitional differences in total emissions in the emissions trading sector between the data of the Energy Authority and the Greenhouse Gas Inventory
5) Excluding CO2 emission from domestic civil aviation according to the inventory
6) F-gases refer to fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFC, PFC compounds, SF6 and NF3)

The calculation of instant preliminary emissions and removals is carried out at a less detailed level than the actual inventory calculation for 2015. The emissions become updated as all data used in the calculation are completed. Preliminary data of the statistics on greenhouse gases are released on 7 December 2016 and official data on 15 April 2017.

Source: Greenhouse gas inventory unit. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Kai Skoglund 029 551 2675, Pia Forsell 029 551 2937, kasvihuonekaasut@stat.fi

Director in charge: Ville Vertanen

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Updated 25.5.2016