Cyprus among EU minority where greenhouse gas emissions increased in Q2

Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from economic activity in the EU dropped by 5.3% in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same quarter in 2022, while, during the same period, Cyprus was one of a minority of EU countries where said emissions increased (by 1.7%), according to data released by Eurostat.

According to the data which come from quarterly estimates on EU economy greenhouse gas emissions, EU emissions totalled 821 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq) during Q2 2023, which was a -5.3% decrease compared with the same quarter of 2022 (867 million tonnes CO2-eq).

In the same period, the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) remained stable registering just a very small variation (+0.05% in the second quarter of 2023, compared with the same quarter of 2022).

In Cyprus, economy emissions during Q2 2023 totalled 2.01 million tons CO2e, having increased compared with Q2 2022 (1.98 million tonnes CO2e). The GDP of the country increased by 2.21% in Q2 2023 compared to Q2 2022.

The economic sectors responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions in the EU in Q2 2023 were manufacturing (23.5%), households (17.9%), electricity and gas supply (15.5%), agriculture (14.3%), followed by transportation and storage (12.8%).

Compared with the second quarter of 2022, emissions decreased in six out of nine economic sectors. The biggest decrease was registered in electricity and gas supply (-22.0%). The main sector in which emissions increased was transportation and storage (+1.7%).

There were no available data on the contribution of various economic sectors to greenhouse gas emissions in Cyprus.

Emissions down in 21 EU countries

In the second quarter of 2023, greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 21 EU countries, when compared with the second quarter of 2022. Increases were registered in Malta (+7.7%), Latvia (+4.5%), Ireland (+3.6%), Lithuania (+3.0%), Cyprus (+1.7%) and Croatia (+1.0%).

Among these six EU members, four had a GDP increase: Malta (+3.9%), Croatia (+2.6%), Cyprus (+2.2%) and Lithuania (+0.7%).

The largest reductions in greenhouse gases were registered in Bulgaria (-23.7%), Estonia (-23.1%) and the Netherlands (-10.3%).

Out of the 21 EU members that decreased their emissions, 10 recorded a decline in their GDP (Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Sweden, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands).

Italy maintained its GDP at the same level as the second quarter of 2022 and decreased its GHG emissions. Ten EU countries (Denmark, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, Romania and Greece) managed to decrease emissions while growing their GDP.