Emissions in EU rose 3.4% in Q1, biggest increases in Bulgaria and Czechia

Greenhouse gas emissions in European Union countries rose year-on-year by 3.4% to 900 million tonnes in the first quarter of this year. An increase was recorded in 20 Member States, while the remaining 7 Member States reported a decline. This was reported by the European statistical office Eurostat.

Eurostat said that the increase in EU greenhouse gas emissions in the first quarter of 2025 was driven by two sectors: energy supply (year-on-year +13.6%) and households (year-on-year +5.6%). By contrast, emissions declined in three sectors: manufacturing (year-on-year -0.2%), transport (year-on-year -2.9%), and agriculture, forestry and fishing (year-on-year -1.4%).

Overall, greenhouse gas emissions rose year-on-year in 20 Member States, with 6 countries (Bulgaria, Czechia, Cyprus, Poland, Hungary and Greece) recording an increase of more than 5%. Conversely, the largest emissions declines were recorded in Malta (year-on-year -6.2%), Finland (year-on-year -4.4%) and Denmark (year-on-year -4.3%).

"Of the 7 countries that recorded a decline in greenhouse gas emissions, 3 also recorded a fall in GDP (Estonia, Latvia and Luxembourg). The remaining 4 EU countries (Denmark, Finland, Malta and Sweden) reduced emissions while GDP grew," Eurostat added.