EU greenhouse gas emissions drop 2.9% in Q1 2023: Eurostat

Simultaneously, the EU's gross domestic product (GDP) experienced a growth of 1.2 per cent in the same quarter, marking a significant accomplishment in balancing economic growth and environmental responsibilities.

The economic sectors primarily responsible for greenhouse gas emissions during this period were manufacturing (20 per cent), electricity and gas supply (19 per cent), agriculture (13 per cent), followed by transportation and storage (10 per cent). Out of the nine economic sectors considered, emissions decreased in five of them, as per Eurostat.

Interestingly, emissions decreased in almost all EU countries, except for Ireland (up 9.1 per cent), Latvia (up 7.5 per cent), Slovakia (up 1.9 per cent), Denmark (up 1.7 per cent), Sweden (up 1.6 per cent), and Finland (0.3 per cent), where they increased. The same group of EU members also saw a growth in their GDP.

Bulgaria (minus 15.2 per cent), Estonia (minus 14.7 per cent), and Slovenia (minus 9.6 per cent) recorded the largest reductions in greenhouse gases.

Out of the 21 EU countries that achieved reduced emissions, only six of them (Czechia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, and Poland) also witnessed a decrease in their GDP. In contrast, 15 EU countries, including Portugal, Croatia, Belgium, Malta, France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Romania, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia, and Bulgaria, managed to decrease emissions while growing their GDP.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (DP)