Austria’s Annual Air Emission Inventory 1990–2023 provides an overview of national emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) and particulate matter (PM2.5) for the years 1990 to 2023. Emission trends and recalculations of these air pollutants, regulated in the European NEC Directive, are described.
The results show emission reductions for all pollutants between 2022 and 2023: SO2 declined by 1.5 %, NOx by 5.4 %, NMVOC by 1.9 %, NH3 by 2.4 %, and PM2.5 by 3.9 %. Lower SO2 emissions resulted from reductions of petrol refining and lesser biomass consumption in the wood processing industries and households. The reduction of NOx was largely due to the decreased mileage of heavy-duty vehicles. NMVOC emissions were driven by sectors solvents, agriculture and households. The main reasons for reduced NH3 emissions were lower livestock numbers and the increased use of band spreading techniques. PM2.5 emissions declined as a result of the lower biomass consumption from residential heating largely because of the milder weather conditions. The 2023 emissions comply with national emission reduction commitments for all pollutants.