Acidifying emissions

Between 2005 and 2022, potentially acidifying emissions (open definition) decreased from 11,263 to 5,242 million acid equivalents. This corresponds to a decrease of 53%. This figure is the sum of the emissions of 3 acidifying substances: sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and ammonia (NH₃). This sum is expressed in acid equivalents, taking into account the acid-forming capacity of each substance.

The decrease in potentially acidifying emissions between 2005 and 2022 is largely due to a significant decline in SO₂ emissions (-82%). NH₃ and NO_x emissions dropped by respectively 16% and 54% in this period.

In 2022, NH₃ (45%) and NO_X (44%) contributed the most to the acidifying emissions. The share of SO₂ was much more limited (12%).

Agriculture was in 2022 by far the most important source of potentially acidifying emissions (48%), followed by transport (26%), industry (14%) and energy (8%).

The largest decrease between 2005 and 2022 occurred in the energy sector (-80%) and there was also a significant decrease in industry (-55%). Both sectors mainly emit NO_X and SO₂, and the decrease was mainly the result of emission-reducing measures.

There was also a significant decrease in the transport sector (-62%). This mainly concerns the reduction in NO_X emissions due to stricter emission standards.

Agriculture, producing especially NH₃ emissions, recorded a 20% decrease between 2005 and 2022. Agricultural emissions decreased slightly until 2008 due to the decrease in livestock, increased feed efficiency, low-emission application of livestock manure and construction of low-emission stables. After that, emissions remained more or less stable and fell slightly again from 2014 onwards.