Greenhouse gas emissions down 22% in European Union compared to 2008

Greenhouse gas emissions generated from economic activities in the European Union were 22% lower last year than they were in 2008, data from Eurostat has found.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions stood at 3.6 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalents (CO2-eq) in 2022, with the manufacturing industry and the supply of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning, both of which accounted for 745 million tonnes of CO2-eq, the largest emissions producers.

Both industries accounted for 21% of total GHG emissions last year.

Elsewhere, households accounted for 718 million tonnes of CO2-eq – 20% of the total emissions in the bloc – followed by economic activities related to transportation, heating and other segments.

From 2008 – the earliest year of available data – to 2022, the mining and quarrying sector experienced the most significant proportional reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (-40%), followed by the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning (-37%), and manufacturing (-28%), Eurostat said.

Top European countries by GHG emissions 2022 (tonnes)

NOTE

• All data is estimated unless marked with an *