Dutch CO2 emissions fall by 6.9 pct, better than EU average

With additional reporting by Zack Newmark. Eurostat estimates that carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from fossil fuel combustion fell by five percent in the European Union in 2014 compared to a year before. Emissions of CO₂ account for 80 percent of all EU greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions in the Netherlands decreased by 6.9 percent. Despite last year's decline, energy demands outside the Netherlands led to an 8.1 percent jump in CO₂ emissions for the first quarter of 2015. Slovakia showed the largest single-nation emissions decrease with a cut of 14.1 percent. Other countries that managed to achieve a significant drop are Denmark (-10.7%), Slovenia (-9.1%), United Kingdom (-8.7%), France (-8.1%) and Italy (-6.9%). At the same time, Bulgaria demonstrated the largest emissions increase (7.1%). CO₂ emissions also increased by several percentage points in Cyprus, Malta and Lithuania. Sweden and Finland recorded a rise in the emissions level of less than one percent. Carbon dioxide emissions are influenced by such factors as climate conditions, economic growth, transport, industrial activities and population size. There are several EU programmes aiming at reducing emissions of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases.