The economic sectors responsible for most GHG emissions included manufacturing at 23.5 per cent and gas supply at 15.5 per cent in Q2 2023, according to Eurostat.

Compared with Q2 2022, emissions decreased in 6 out of 9 economic sectors. The biggest decrease was registered in ‘electricity, gas supply’ at -22.0 per cent.

In Q2 2023, GHG emissions decreased in 21 EU countries, when compared with Q2 2022. Increases were registered in Malta at 7.7 per cent, Latvia at 4.5 per cent, Ireland at 3.6 per cent, Lithuania at 3.0 per cent, Cyprus at 1.7 per cent, and Croatia at 1.0 per cent. Among these six EU members, four had a GDP increase—Malta at 3.9 per cent, Croatia at 2.6 per cent, Cyprus at 2.2 per cent, and Lithuania at 0.7 per cent.

The largest reductions in GHG gases were registered in Bulgaria at -23.7 per cent, Estonia at -23.1 per cent, and the Netherlands at -10.3 per cent.

Out of the 21 EU members that decreased their emissions, 10 recorded a decline in their GDP—Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Sweden, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands. Italy maintained its GDP at the same level as Q2 2022 and decreased its GHG emissions. Ten EU countries—Denmark, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, Romania, and Greece—managed to decrease emissions while growing their GDP.

SBS Zipper News Desk (NB)