Climate change report 2014

In 2012, around 80.1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent were emitted in Austria. As a result, emissions in the last year of the Kyoto period were about 2.5 % higher than in 1990 and 11.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent above the annual average of the Kyoto target set for 2008-2012. Compared to the previous year, emissions decreased by 3.3 % in 2012 as a result of the decline in the use of fossil fuels and the historical high in hydroelectric power generation. Austria will fulfil its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol by increasing the use of flexible instruments and purchasing emission rights. According to scenario analyses by the Federal Environment Agency, the EU’s greenhouse gas reduction target by 2020 can only be achieved through additional measures at home, especially in transport and indoor heating.