Scotland publishes pollutant levels

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EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- The Scottish government said in an annual report that the level of emissions for all pollutants have declined since the 1990s.

The government said small particulate emissions declined 57 percent, sulfur dioxide fell 73 percent and carbon monoxide dropped 77 percent from 1990 levels.

During the summer, the government reported "large increases" in greenhouse gas emissions from the energy and residential sectors in 2009 and 2010 because of residential heating needs and coal-fired power stations.

Edinburgh noted, however, that 2010 was the coldest year in about 100 years.

Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing took note of a measure backed by lawmakers that would coordinate energy reforms with the British government.

Any revisions to broad-based energy policies must be as effective as current legislation, he said.

"I stand ready to work closely with the U.K. government and Scotland's valuable renewable energy industry, to help design a system which will deliver us the renewable energy we need for the future," he said in a statement.

Scotland aims to derive 100 percent of its electricity demand through renewable energy projects by 2020.