EU greenhouse gas emissions are down 22% compared to 2008

Alina Oprea
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%).

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