Emission Trends BC

Germany reports Black Carbon (BC) emissions for all years from 2000 onward. The main sources are transport as well as mobile and stationary combustion. Germany uses the EMEP/EEA 2016 Guidebook to estimate BC emissions, augmented by some country specific emission factors, i.e. split factors for the BC portion of PM2.5, in particular in road transport. The following figure provides an overview on the sources and their respective contribution to the German national total.

BC emissions in the year 2000 BC emissions in the latest year

Main drivers

Between 2000 and 2022, Total Black Carbon emissions dropped by 75%.

The main drivers are the transport emissions (NFR 1.A.3) with 70% of total 2000 emissions, and a 85% reduction between 2000 and 2022. Over the entire time series, 90% of the transport emissions come from Road Transport (NFR 1.A.3.b). The overlying trend towards more diesel cars in the German fleet slowed the decrease in emission over this period (see figure below).

24% of the 2000 total emissions result from Other Sectors (NFR 1.A.4), mostly from residential stationary combustion and mobile sources therein, with a 51% reduction between 2000 and 2022.

Table: Black Carbon emissions 1990-2022, in kilotonnes [kt]

Trend: latest compared to
2000	2005	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2000	previous year
39	31	23	21	20	19	17	16	15	14	13	12	10	10	10	9	-76.1%	-7.3%

trend of BC emissions, by sector