Cyprus economy-related greenhouse gas emissions drop by 7.96% in Q1 2023

Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from economic activity in Cyprus fell by 7.96% during the first quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2022 (2.93% in the EU), while GDP increased by 3.44% (1.20% in the EU), according to data published by Eurostat based on its quarterly estimates on greenhouse gas emissions by economic activity.

In absolute numbers, Cyprus economy greenhouse gas emissions totalled 2.252 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq) during the first quarter of 2023, compared with the same quarter in 2022 (2.447 million tonnes).

In the EU overall, greenhouse gas emissions resulting from economic activity totalled 941 million tonnes CO2-eq, compared with the same quarter of 2022 (969 million tonnes of CO2-eq).

Greenhouse gas emissions fell in 21 out of 24 EU member states between Q1 2022 and Q1 2023.

Emissions increased in Ireland (9.1%), Latvia (7.5%), Slovakia (1.9%), Denmark (1.7%) Sweden (1.6%) and Finland (0.3%), where GDP also increased.

The largest reductions in greenhouse gases were registered in Bulgaria (-15.2%), Estonia (-14.7%) and Slovenia (-9.6%).

Of the 21 EU countries that decreased their emissions, only 6 also decreased their GDP (Czechia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, and Poland), meaning 15 EU countries (Portugal, Croatia, Belgium, Malta, France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Romania, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia and Bulgaria) managed to decrease emissions while growing their GDP.

The economic sectors responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions in the first quarter of 2023 were households (24%), manufacturing (20%), electricity and gas supply (19%), agriculture (13%) and transportation and storage (10%). Eurostat did not provide data on emissions by economic sector on the member state level.

The data show that, compared with the first quarter of 2022, emissions decreased in 5 out of 9 economic sectors. The biggest decrease was registered in electricity and gas supply (12.3%). The main sector in which emissions increased was transportation and storage (7.2%).

(Source: CNA)