Abstract: The invention relates to a method of reducing emissions in the exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine that has at least one cylinder to which an air/fuel mixture is supplied when a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine is rotated, at least one inlet valve, at least one inlet duct connecting to the inlet valve, at least one exhaust valve, at least one exhaust duct connecting to the exhaust valve, control members for controlling the opening and closing of the inlet and exhaust valves, and a piston reciprocating between a top dead-center position and a bottom dead-center position in the cylinder. The method comprises the steps of supplying a lean air/fuel mixture to the cylinder, controlling the internal combustion engine so that it works at high load, and controlling the exhaust valve so that it opens when the piston is located in the bottom dead-center position. The exhaust valve is preferably controlled so that it closes after the induction stroke has started.