Emise v EU dlouhodobě klesají

The European Union reduced its emissions by over one third between 1990 and 2024. This progress reflects a fundamental shift in how the region generates energy and manages its economy.

The emissions depicted include CO₂ from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes, methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and other greenhouse gases converted to CO₂ equivalent (CO₂eq). This measure indicates the amount of CO₂ that would have the same greenhouse effect over a 100-year period. (See also: greenhouse gases.)

The left side of the graph shows the total annual emissions for the EU-27, while the right side highlights relative changes by sector. In more than three decades, the total fell from 4.9 billion tonnes of CO₂eq to 3.1 billion tonnes,¹ with the pace of reduction accelerating over the last fifteen years. The sharp dip in 2020 reflects the COVID-19 economic slowdown, while the subsequent trend shows a return to policy-driven declines.

For comparison, 3.1 billion tonnes of CO₂eq in 2024 equals 7 t per capita. This is above the global average (roughly 6.5 t per capita) and much higher than India (approx. 3 t), but significantly lower than China (approx. 11 t) or the USA (over 17 t).²

How did emissions change in each sector?

Values indicate per capita CO₂eq emissions in 2024; the change is between 1990 and 2024.

• Transportation (2.07 t per capita; +29%): Passenger cars still produce about half of all transport emissions, with trucks and buses accounting for most of the rest. Emission growth was driven by a massive rise in the volume of passenger cars, trucks, and aviation. However, transportation emissions have broadly plateaued since 2007; while aviation continued to grow until 2019, road transport emissions have begun to stabilise.

• Industry (1.73 t per capita; -50%): Most industrial emissions come from burning fossil fuels to create the high temperatures needed for producing steel, cement, and other materials; others result from internal chemical reactions. While heavy industries like steel, chemicals, and cement became more efficient, part of the decline reflects a shift away from energy-intensive manufacturing and the relocation of some production outside the EU.

• Electricity and Heat Production (1.16 t per capita; -58%): The emissions result from burning fossil fuels to power the grid and district heating systems. Reductions have accelerated recently due to a rapid coal phase-out and the rise of competitive wind and solar power. The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), which prices carbon, is a primary driver.

• Agriculture (0.96 t per capita; -25%): Agricultural emissions are driven by three main sources: livestock methane from digestion and manure, soil nitrous oxide from fertilisers, and carbon dioxide from diesel-powered machinery. Emissions fell largely due to efficiency gains in livestock farming: the number of cows in the EU has decreased even as milk production has risen. Additionally, a shift from beef toward poultry has lowered meat’s average carbon footprint.

• Buildings (0.80 t per capita; -42%): Emissions mainly reflect the direct consumption of gas for heating and hot water in homes and offices. Over thirty years, building standards shifted from minimal energy requirements in some countries to EU-mandated “nearly zero-energy” new buildings. While some older buildings were renovated with better insulation, a large portion still requires upgrading.

• Waste management (0.25 t per capita; -40%): Stricter EU standards succeeded in diverting much biodegradable waste from landfills to prevent methane formation. Recycling and composting, once niche in 1990, handled nearly 50% of municipal waste by 2024.

Footnotes

1. All data in the graph come from Eurostat. Greenhouse gas emissions from the source sector. DOI: 10.2908/env_air_gge. ↩

2. EDGAR - Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research. GHG emissions of all world countries. 2025 report. [https://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/report_2025] ↩