Eurostat’s quarterly report reveals a 4% decrease in the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions in the fourth quarter of 2023, contrasting with Greece’s slight 0.3% uptick.
Emissions for the EU totaled 897 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, down from 935 million tonnes in the same quarter of 2022.
Greece was among the few with a rise, while Malta, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Slovakia showed more significant increases.
The EU’s GDP remained stable with a marginal 0.2% increase in fourth quarter of 2023.
Notably, electricity and gas supply sectors saw a notable 17.2% reduction, alongside a 3.1% decrease in manufacturing emissions, while household emissions remained steady.
During the same period, greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 22 EU countries, with Estonia, Bulgaria, and Finland leading with reductions of 23.0%, 17.0%, and 9.0%, respectively.
Ten of these countries, including Estonia, Finland, and Germany, also witnessed a decline in GDP. Hungary maintained its GDP while reducing emissions.
Conversely, 11 EU countries, including Belgium, Italy, and Spain, managed emission reductions alongside GDP growth.
The remaining five, including Malta and Slovenia, Cyprus, Slovakia, and Greece reported increased emissions, all coinciding with GDP rises.
