| Description |
The indicator measures total national emissions (from both ESD and ETS sectors) of the so called ‘Kyoto basket’ of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and the so-called F-gases (hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, nitrogen triflouride (NF3) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)) from all sectors of the GHG emission inventories. Estimated emissions from international aviation and maritime transport are excluded for individual countries. The indicator is presented in two forms: as net emissions including land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) as well as excluding LULUCF. Using each gas’ individual global warming potential (GWP), they are being integrated into a single indicator expressed in units of CO2 equivalents. The GHG emission inventories are submitted annually by the EU Member States to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). |
|---|---|
| Rationale |
Indicator is used to monitor progress towards SDG 13 on climate action which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under ‘Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature’. The European Climate Law sets out a framework for climate action and increases the EU’s ambition for 2030, with a new goal to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55 % by that year (compared to 1990) and to achieve climate-neutrality by 2050. The European Commission has also put in place a package of new and revised EU climate and energy legislation — the so called Fit for 55 package — to increase its ambition on climate mitigation. The package comprises an interconnected set of measures in the area of energy, transport, taxation and climate policies, and includes strengthened and expanded carbon pricing, targets, standards and support measures. It also sets a target for natural carbon sinks of 310 million tonnes of CO2equivalents. |
| Content and progress |
The NextGenerationEU recovery plan is the Union’s economic response to the COVID-19 crisis. It includes the Recovery and Resilience Facility worth EUR 672.5 billion, of which at least 37 % must go to climate action. Each national recovery and resilience plan will have to meet this target of a minimum of 37% of expenditure related to climate, and all reforms and investments by Member States as a part of the recovery fund must comply with the ’do-no-significant-harm’principle and therefore avoid significant negative impact on the EU’s climate and environmental objectives. The new EU cohesion policy (2021 to 2027) includes a ‘greener, carbon-free Europe’ as one of its five main objectives receiving 65 % to 85 % of available funding together with an objective for a ‘smarter Europe’ |
| Long-term objective |
Reduction of 55% of 1990 level |
Download source data for disaggregations (.csv)
Headline data
| Year | Value | UNIT_MEASURE | SERIES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.55 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2011 | 6.35 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2012 | 6.03 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2013 | 6.03 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2014 | 5.42 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2015 | 5.25 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2016 | 6.26 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2017 | 6.46 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2018 | 6.52 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2019 | 6.22 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2020 | 6.31 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2021 | 6.55 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2022 | 6.47 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2023 | 6.24 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2024 | 6.14 | Tonnes per capita | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2010 | 21.15 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2011 | 23.75 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2012 | 22.14 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2013 | 21.8 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2014 | 19.31 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2015 | 18.46 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2016 | 21.73 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2017 | 22.15 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2018 | 22.08 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2019 | 20.81 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2020 | 20.83 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2021 | 21.27 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2022 | 20.74 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2023 | 19.88 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2024 | 19.43 | Million tons of CO2 equivalent | Net greenhouse gas emissions |
| Description |
The indicator measures total national emissions (from both ESD and ETS sectors) of the so called ‘Kyoto basket’ of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and the so-called F-gases (hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, nitrogen triflouride (NF3) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)) from all sectors of the GHG emission inventories. Estimated emissions from international aviation and maritime transport are excluded for individual countries. The indicator is presented in two forms: as net emissions including land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) as well as excluding LULUCF. Using each gas’ individual global warming potential (GWP), they are being integrated into a single indicator expressed in units of CO2 equivalents. The GHG emission inventories are submitted annually by the EU Member States to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). |
|---|---|
| Rationale |
Indicator is used to monitor progress towards SDG 13 on climate action which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under ‘Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature’. The European Climate Law sets out a framework for climate action and increases the EU’s ambition for 2030, with a new goal to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55 % by that year (compared to 1990) and to achieve climate-neutrality by 2050. The European Commission has also put in place a package of new and revised EU climate and energy legislation — the so called Fit for 55 package — to increase its ambition on climate mitigation. The package comprises an interconnected set of measures in the area of energy, transport, taxation and climate policies, and includes strengthened and expanded carbon pricing, targets, standards and support measures. It also sets a target for natural carbon sinks of 310 million tonnes of CO2equivalents. |
| Content and progress |
The NextGenerationEU recovery plan is the Union’s economic response to the COVID-19 crisis. It includes the Recovery and Resilience Facility worth EUR 672.5 billion, of which at least 37 % must go to climate action. Each national recovery and resilience plan will have to meet this target of a minimum of 37% of expenditure related to climate, and all reforms and investments by Member States as a part of the recovery fund must comply with the ’do-no-significant-harm’principle and therefore avoid significant negative impact on the EU’s climate and environmental objectives. The new EU cohesion policy (2021 to 2027) includes a ‘greener, carbon-free Europe’ as one of its five main objectives receiving 65 % to 85 % of available funding together with an objective for a ‘smarter Europe’ |
| Long-term objective |
Reduction of 55% of 1990 level |
Source 1
| Organisation |
Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – Learn more about this data OurWorldinData |
|---|---|
| Link to data source | Link opens in a new window |