The European Union financial system emitted about 900 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equal within the first quarter, up 3.4 % from the identical three-month interval final yr, in line with official estimates.
The rise got here because the 27-member bloc’s gross home product (GDP) grew 1.2 % year-on-year within the January-March 2025 quarter, the European Fee stated in an announcement.
The sectors with the most important shares of emissions have been households (25.5 %), electrical energy and gasoline provide (19.3 %) and manufacturing (18.6 %).
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The 2 sectors answerable for the best year-over-year will increase have been electrical energy, gasoline, steam and air con provide, up 13.6 %, and households, up 5.6 %.
Declines have been recorded in transport and storage (-2.9 %); agriculture, forestry and fishing (-1.4 %); and manufacturing (-0.2 %).
Twenty nations noticed increased emissions whereas seven noticed decreases. Six nations recorded year-on-year will increase of over 5 %: Bulgaria, Czechia, Cyprus, Poland, Hungary and Greece. The biggest curbs have been recorded in Malta (-6.2 %), Finland (-4.4 %) and Denmark (-4.3 %).
“Out of the seven EU nations that registered decreases in greenhouse gasoline emissions, three additionally recorded a decline of their GDP (Estonia, Latvia and Luxembourg)”, the Fee stated. “The opposite 4 EU nations (Denmark, Finland, Malta and Sweden) have been estimated to have decreased emissions whereas rising their GDP”.
In energy era, the Fee earlier reported a 17 % year-on-year enhance to 33 terawatt hours (tWh) in fossil fuel-sourced electrical energy within the EU in 1Q because of a average enhance in demand and a fall in wind and hydro era that offset a document 1Q for photo voltaic.
“In whole, coal-fired era rose by 15 % (+11 TWh), whereas much less CO2-intensive gasoline era elevated even stronger by 23 % (+21 TWh)”, the Fee stated in its quarterly electrical energy market report.
The EU generated 681 tWh of electrical energy in 1Q, up 9 tWh from the identical interval final yr.
The share of renewables dropped to 41 % or 282 tWh from 46 % in 1Q 2024, whereas the share of fossil fuels climbed to 33 % or 227 tWh from 28 % in 1Q 2024. Nuclear accounted for 33 % of 1Q 2025 era.
Onshore wind remained the most important renewable energy supply within the EU, regardless of a 17 % or 22 tWh year-on-year lower to 107 tWh. Onshore wind accounted for 38 % of renewables era within the EU in 1Q 2025.
Offshore wind additionally decreased 22 % or 4 tWh to fifteen tWh. It accounted for 5 % of the full EU renewables era.
Hydro era declined 15 % or 16 tWh to 91 tWh, “albeit from excessive ranges in Q1 2024”, the report stated. Hydro had a 32 % share of the full renewables era.
The declines offset a brand new record-high Q1 for photo voltaic. Photo voltaic era grew 30 % or 10 tWh to 45 tWh.
Nevertheless, the Fee stated in an announcement, “A better take a look at the figures reveals that, after atypically weak era in January and February, renewable output began to select up once more in March, indicating a optimistic trajectory for the upcoming months”.
EU electrical energy consumption barely elevated, by one % or eight tWh, to 657 tWh in 1Q 2025. “On the nationwide stage, 18 member states noticed a rise in electrical energy consumption, whereas the remaining nations have been stagnant or skilled a decline”, the report stated.
“Regardless of this modest enhance, demand ranges for Q1 2025 have been nonetheless beneath the pre-crisis common (-6 %, in comparison with the 2015-19 vary)”.
To contact the writer, e mail jov.onsat@rigzone.com
