The figures also show that a long-term trend towards improved energy intensity in the EU may actually have halted in the 1990s. Obtained from the European Commission by MEP Anita Pollack, the figures are another blow to EU efforts to persuade itself and others that it can stabilise greenhouse gas emissions in 2000 and reduce them significantly by 2007 and 2015.
Energy intensity is a measure of the ratio between energy consumption and wealth.
Given the importance of fossil fuels in European energy supply, falling energy intensity implies falling greenhouse gas emissions. Ms Pollack described the figures today as horrifying. She is to write to EU energy commissioner Christos Papoutsis to demand action to reverse the trend. However, within this decline, intensity rose massively in 1991 and slightly in 1993 and 1995. But the official accepted that energy intensity improvements around the EU may have stalled in the 1990s, in part due to falling energy prices.