The line graph illustrates the trends of UK acid rain emissions, quantified in millions of tonnes, across four distinct sectors from 1990 to 2007.
Overall, a pronounced decline is evident in emissions from the electricity, gas, and water supply sectors, while transport and communication displayed notable fluctuations. Domestic emissions exhibited a consistent downward movement.
In 1990, emissions from the electricity, gas, and water supply sector were the highest at 3.3 million tonnes, yet this figure experienced a steady and significant reduction over the observed period, culminating at approximately 1 million tonnes in 2007. Conversely, emissions from the ‘other industries’ sector commenced at 2.1 million tonnes, displaying a downward trajectory, ultimately reaching around 0.5 million tonnes by the end of the period. The year 1996 marked a crossover point, where the emissions from the electricity sector fell below those of other industries, solidifying the latter’s diminishing trend.
In contrast, the transport and communication sector began at 0.6 million tonnes in 1990, experiencing minor fluctuations throughout the years before settling at roughly 0.5 million tonnes by 2007. Domestic emissions initially matched this figure but remained stable until the mid-1990s, after which a marked decline occurred, leading to a significant drop to approximately 0.2 million tonnes by 2007. Throughout the examined period, while the transport and communication sector’s emissions varied slightly, domestic emissions consistently exhibited a downward pattern.