The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of all economic sectors across the European Union (EU) have decreased by 4% in quarter four (Q4) of 2022 compared to the previous year.
Estimates published by Eurostat show that the EU’s total GHG emissions fell from 978 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent (CO2e) in Q4 of 2021 to 938 million tonnes of CO2e in 2022.
These Eurostat estimates, which are based on economic activity and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), also show a 1.5% increase in the EU’s GDP in Q4 last year on 2021 levels.
When compared with the pre-pandemic Q4 of 2019, the EU’s economy-wide GHG emissions decreased by 6% from 994 million tonnes of CO2e to 938 million tonnes of CO2e.
The manufacturing and households sector accounted for most of the EU’s GHG emissions in Q4 of 2022 at 21% each, followed by electricity and gas supply (20%); agriculture (13%); and transportation and storage (11%).
GHG emissions decreased in six out of nine EU economic sectors, with the most significant drop recorded in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply sector at -9.7%.
The only three EU sectors in which emissions increased were transportation and storage (+7.0%); services (+1.6%); and mining and quarrying (+1.0%), Eurostat said.
Estimated emissions figures
Estimates based on economic activity show that 23 EU countries recorded a drop in GHG emissions in Q4 of 2022, expect for Ireland (+12.3%); Latvia (+6.8%); Malta (+6.4%); and Denmark (+1.9%).
This group of countries in which emissions increased in Q4 of 2022 compared to the previous year also saw their GDP rise, according to Eurostat estimates.
Of the 23 EU countries that reduced their GHG emissions, the largest decreases were registered in Slovenia (-15.9%); the Netherlands (-9.9%); and Slovakia (-6.9%).
Five of the 23 countries recorded a decrease in their GDP – Estonia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Finland, and Sweden – which means that most EU member states managed to decrease emissions while growing their GDP, Eurostat said.
Ireland’s GHG emissions
Following the publication, Green Party TD Brian Leddin said on social media that these “figures are an attempt by Eurostat to estimate changes in GHG emissions based on economic activity, including GDP growth”.
However, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Ireland uses the Gross National Income (GNI) rather than the GDP to eliminate the “distorting effects of multinationals,” Deputy Leddin said.
An estimate for aviation emissions is also included in Eurostat’s figures, the deputy said, whereas they’re not included in national inventories.
“Individual member states’ targets don’t include them. They’re addressed instead at EU level,” he said on social media.