Greenhouse gas emissions generated by the European Union economy totaled 821 million tons of CO2 equivalent, in the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of 5.3% compared to the similar period in 2022 (867 million tons of CO2 equivalent), shows the data published on Wednesday by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat).

This decline coincided with a 0.05% increase in the EU economy in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

In the period April-June 2023, the economic sectors responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions were: industry (23.5%), households (17.9%), electricity and gas supply (15.5%), agriculture (14.3%), transport and storage (12.8%), according to Agerpres.

Eurostat data shows that in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same period in 2022, emissions fell in six out of nine sectors of the economy, with the most severe decline being in the supply of electricity and gas (minus 22%). The main sector in which emissions increased was that of transport and storage (1.7%).

Greenhouse gas emissions in the period April-June 2023 decreased in 21 EU member states, compared to the similar period in 2022, the exceptions being Malta (7.7%), Latvia (4.5%), Ireland (3.6%), Lithuania (3%), Cyprus (1.7%) and Croatia (1%), where they increased. Among the six EU member states, four recorded economic growth in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022: Malta (3.9%), Croatia (2.6%), Cyprus (2.2% ) and Lithuania (0.7%).

The most significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions were in Bulgaria (minus 23.7%), Estonia (minus 23.1%) and the Netherlands (minus 10.3%).

Of the 21 Member States where emissions fell, ten reported a fall in their GDP (Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Sweden, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands), and 10 EU member states (Denmark, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, Romania and Greece) managed to reduce their emissions while increasing their GDP.