Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union 1990-2022

Total net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the EU-27 were 3.24 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO₂e) in 2022. This was a reduction of 1.3 percent from the previous year. Overall, EU-27 total net GHG emissions have decreased by roughly 31 percent. 

The EU’s largest polluters

With a share of more than 25 percent, the energy supply sector was the largest contributor to EU-27 GHG emissions in 2022. Nevertheless, the sector has achieved emissions reductions of more than 40 percent since 1990. The transportation and Industry sectors are the next biggest GHG polluters, with emissions of roughly 800 and 680 MtCO₂e in 2022, respectively.

EU targets and measures to reduce emissions

The EU-27 has made good progress in cutting emissions over the past three decades, aided by the implementation of several policies and measures, such as EU-ETS, as well as increased clean energy use. However, the bloc still has some way to go to achieve its climate targets of cutting net GHG emissions by 55 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, and achieving net zero by 2050.