The EU economy’s seasonally adjusted greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the second quarter of 2026 were estimated at 833 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq), a 0.5 per cent decrease compared with the first quarter of 2026 (837 million tonnes of CO2-eq) , according to the latest estimates by Eurostat.

At the same time, the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with the first quarter of this year. 

The following economic activities contributed the most to this reduction of emissions: electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply emissions (-0.44 percentage points (pp)), followed by households (-0.22 pp) and transportation and storage (-0.01 pp).

These decreases were partly offset by higher emissions from other economic activities (mostly services) (+0.14 pp) and manufacturing (+0.05 pp). 

In the second quarter of 2026, seasonally adjusted greenhouse gas emissions increased in 8 EU countries, decreased in 18 countries, and remained unchanged in 1 country, compared with the first quarter of 2026.

The largest reductions in greenhouse gas emissions were estimated for Estonia (-15.5 per cent), Latvia (-10.6 per cent) and Finland (-7.6 per cent).

The largest increases in these emissions were estimated for Malta (+4.8 per cent), Ireland (+1.0 per cent) and Romania (+0.8 per cent). 

The 8 EU countries that recorded increases in greenhouse gas emissions also increased their GDP.

18 countries reduced their greenhouse gas emissions and out of these, 16 countries recorded a higher or stable GDP. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service