Effects of changes in the UK energy demand and environmental legislation on atmospheric pollution by sulphur dioxide

Ninety-nine percent of the sulphur dioxide generated over the period 1970 t o 1994 arose from the combustion of fossil fuels in the energy sector. The annual mass emission of sulphur dioxide has fallen by 58% over this period, due to the reductions in outputs from coal and petroleum fired plants. The influence of natural-gas power generation has played an important part in this reduction. Four major pieces of environmental legislation have been en acted to control sulphur-dioxide emissions: the Control of Pollution Act 19 74, and three EEC Directives are discussed. The UK emissions in 1994 were 4 9% below the 1980 baseline and 9% ahead of the 1998 EU target level. The pr otocol on the reduction of sulphur-dioxide emissions, adopted in 1985, requ ired a cut in the total SO2 emissions of 30% by 1993, based on 1980 levels. The UK achieved a reduction of 37% by the end of 1993. Sulphur-dioxide emi ssions are predicted to fall according to the six scenarios in Energy paper 65 as a reference case. The predicted decline is in line with the UNECE ta rgets set for 2010. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.