The EU economy greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 900 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq) in the first quarter of 2025, a 3.4% increase compared with the same quarter of 2024 (871 million tonnes of CO2-eq). At the same time, the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.2% in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same quarter of 2024.
This information comes from data on quarterly estimates of greenhouse gas emissions by economic activity published by Eurostat today. Quarterly estimates of greenhouse gas emissions complement quarterly socio-economic data, such as GDP or employment. This article presents the key findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on quarterly greenhouse gas emissions.
Source datasets: env_ac_aigg_q and namq_10_gdp
The 2 economic sectors responsible for the largest year-on-year increases were electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (+13.6%) and households (+5.6%). Three sectors decreased their emissions, namely manufacturing (-0.2%), transportation and storage (-2.9%) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (-1.4%).
Greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 7 EU countries
In the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same quarter of 2024, increases in greenhouse gas emissions were estimated for 20 EU countries, while decreases were estimated for the remaining 7 countries.
6 countries (Bulgaria, Czechia, Cyprus, Poland, Hungary and Greece) were estimated to have increased their emissions by more than 5%.
The largest reductions in greenhouse gases were estimated for Malta (-6.2%), Finland (-4.4%) and Denmark (-4.3%). Out of the 7 EU countries that registered decreases in greenhouse gas emissions, 3 also recorded a decline in their GDP (Estonia, Latvia and Luxembourg). The other 4 EU countries (Denmark, Finland, Malta and Sweden) were estimated to have decreased emissions while growing their GDP.
Source datasets: env_ac_aigg_q and namq_10_gdp