2024 EU greenhouse gas emissions: -20% since 2013

In 2024, the EU economy’s greenhouse gas emissions by economic activities and households totalled 3.3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalents. This represents a 1% decrease compared with 2023 and a 20% reduction compared with 2013.

Between 2013 and 2024, the energy sector (supply of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning) achieved the sharpest rate of decline and the largest overall decrease, with a 49% drop (-512 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents). In the same period, 3 other economic activities also recorded double-digit reductions: mining and quarrying (-37%, -25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents), manufacturing (-18%, -146 million tonnes) and services (-14%, -36 million tonnes).

The only 2 economic activities with an increase in emissions were transportation and storage (14%, +57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents) and construction (+6%, +3 million tonnes). 

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Source dataset: env_ac_ainah_r2

Greenhouse gas emission intensity down by 34% since 2013

The greenhouse gas emissions intensity measures the amount of emissions (measured in CO₂ equivalents) per unit of gross value added (measured in euros) in an economy. It is an indicator of the climate efficiency of economic production. A decrease in the emissions intensity means fewer emissions for the same generation of value added.

The greenhouse gas emissions intensity in the EU decreased by 34% from 2013 to 2024. This is the result of the simultaneous decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by the EU economy and the increase in its value added (+20%). The largest reductions were recorded in Estonia (-64%), Ireland (-50%) and Finland (-44%). Only Malta (+17%) saw its emissions intensity increase since 2013.

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Source dataset: env_ac_aeint_r2

For more information

• Statistics Explained article on greenhouse gas emission accounts
• Online publication on Statistics on climate change mitigation
• Environmental accounts dashboard
• Thematic section on environment
• Database on environment
• Thematic section on climate change 
• Database on climate change

Methodological notes

• Greenhouse gases comprise carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and the fluorinated gases (also called ’F-gases’), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆).
• Air emissions accounts organise the EU economy emissions data by economic activity, using the NACE classification, and with a scope fully aligned to the GDP. Eurostat’s air emissions accounts offer a detailed analysis by 64 economic activities following the EU’s statistical classification of economic activities (NACE Rev. 2) from 2008. 

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