One element of this is the Program for the Reduction of Emissions of SO 2 in the Power Supply Industry , approved in 1996. This anticipates the reduction of SO 2 emissions from the sector to 700,000 tons by 2010. Slovenia, for example, has set itself ambitious SO 2 reduction targets and its program incorporates a list of actions to be undertaken by different stakeholders at different levels while at the same time employing a variety of different instruments. Some acts were adopted as Decisions of the government and some were termed Decrees of the Ministry of the Environment. Amongst the most important are the Decisions in the area of liquid fuels adopted at the beginning of 1995 that prescribe standards, and determine the upper levels for sulfur in gasoline and in heavier oils.
Power plants are the biggest source of air pollution in Slovenia.
In 1993, they contributed some 81 percent or 139,435t to the total SO 2 emissions in Slovenia. Despite the substantial investments needed, the upgrading of power plants has been successfully achieved to a level in which it is possible to reach the emission levels set by the law. Significant results have been achieved also in terms of the reduction of emissions from industrial sources through the closure of polluting industries and the introduction of new technologies. An important part of the overall framework are local measures. On a national level, a short-term action program to reduce air pollution and switch to cleaner fuel has been organized by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and has been running since 1992.