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CSRD

green energy

investment

waste management

mobility

carbon emissions

interviews

Environment

EU greenhouse gas emissions are down 22% compared to 2008

Alina Oprea

22 December, 2023 at 10:45 AM

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by the economic activities of resident units in the European Union last year stood at 3.6 billion tons of CO2 equivalent. This is a 22% decrease compared to 2008, the year in which publication began data, shows the information published by the European Statistics Office (Eurostat). The EU has set itself a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, to reach climate neutrality by 2050.

The activities with the highest GHG emissions in 2022 were industry and the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning, both with 745 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, representing 21% of the total greenhouse gases emitted.

Households follow (718 million tons of CO2 equivalent, 20%), which are greenhouse gas emitters in transport, home heating, and other purposes.

Between 2008 and 2022, the most significant decline in GHG emissions was recorded in the extractive industry (minus 40%), the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning (minus 37%), and industry (minus 28%).

EU greenhouse gas emissions down 4.0% in Q1 2024

In the first quarter of 2024, the EU economy's greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 894 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents.

Environment

EU generates 188.7 kg of packaging waste per inhabitant

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Environment

Eurostat reports 131 kg of food waste per person for 2021

In 2021, around 131 kilograms (kg) of food per inhabitant have been wasted in the EU, according to Eurostat.

Energy

Renewables to make up 42.5% of EU energy consumption by 2030

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Environment

CO2 emissions fall by 3% in European Union

In the first quarter of 2023, greenhouse gas emissions generated by the economy of the European Union totaled 941 million tons of CO2 equivalent, a decrease of 2.9% compared to the same period in 2022 (969 million tons of CO2 equivalent), shows data published by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat).