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(LUXEMBOURG) – EU economy greenhouse gas emissions showed a 7.1% decrease compared Q3 in 2022, at 787 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq), Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency reported Wednesday.
Eurostat’s data on quarterly estimates for greenhouse gas emissions by economic activity finds that the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) remained stable, registering just a small variation (-0.2% in the third quarter of 2023, compared with the same quarter in 2022).
The information released today includes quarterly estimates of greenhouse gas emissions complement quarterly socio-economic data, such as GDP or employment. This article presents a handful of findings from a more detailed Statistics Explained article on quarterly greenhouse gas emissions.
In Q3 2023, economic sectors responsible for the largest reductions compared to the third quarter of 2022 were electricity and gas supply (- 23.7%), households (-6.5%) and manufacturing (-4.9%).
Greenhouse gas emissions down in 23 EU countries
Q3 2023 greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have decreased in 23 EU countries, when compared with the third quarter of 2022. Increases are estimated for Malta (+7.7%), Cyprus (+3.7%), Latvia (+3.4%) and Slovakia (0.9%). Among these 4 EU members, 3 had a GDP increase: Malta (+7.1%), Cyprus (+2.5%) and Slovakia (+1.1%).
Biggest reductions in greenhouse gases are estimated for Estonia (-30.7%), Bulgaria (-18.6%) and Germany (-12.2%).
Out of the 23 EU members estimated to have decreased their emissions, 11 also recorded a decline in their GDP (Ireland, Estonia, Austria, Luxembourg, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Hungary). Italy maintained its GDP at the same level as in the third quarter of 2022 while decreasing its GHG emissions. The other 11 EU countries (Romania, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia, Poland, France, Lithuania) are estimated to have managed to decrease emissions while at the same time growing their GDP.
Statistics Explained article on quarterly greenhouse gas emissions
Thematic section on climate change
Overview of the key types of greenhouse (GHG) emission estimates that are regularly published by bodies of the European Union (EU), including the EU inventory and the EU annual climate progress report, including inventory emissions for Member States, published annually in quarter 4.
