LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In the first quarter of 2026, the EU experienced a modest uptick in greenhouse gas emissions. Eurostat recorded seasonally adjusted emissions at 837 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing a 0.3% rise from the previous quarter. After revision, the total for the fourth quarter was 835 million tonnes. During this period, the EU’s gross domestic product showed no quarterly growth, providing a direct comparison between economic activity and emission levels.
However, on an annual basis, the trend moved in the opposite direction. Greenhouse gas emissions declined by 1.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025, even as EU GDP increased by 0.8%. These figures include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, all measured in a common CO2-equivalent unit. The quarterly series accounts for emissions from economic activities and households across all 27 member states, adjusting for seasonal variations.
Among the primary sectors, energy-related activities saw the most significant quarterly growth. Emissions from electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply rose by 4.8%, while water and waste management activities increased by 0.7%. Conversely, household emissions decreased by 1.3%. Manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage each experienced a 0.6% decline. Manufacturing continued to be the largest source, representing 20.8% of total emissions, with households close behind at 20.2%.
Majority of EU countries experience quarterly emission rises
During the first quarter, emissions grew in 20 EU member states, while seven saw reductions. Estonia recorded the highest increase at 9.7%, followed by Finland at 6.4% and Bulgaria at 4.6%. These rises were primarily driven by increased emissions from construction and energy supply. Slovenia saw the largest decrease at 5.0%, with Luxembourg down 3.8% and Romania decreasing by 2.7% from the previous quarter.
In most of the countries with higher emissions, economic output also rose. Eighteen of the 20 nations with increased greenhouse gases reported GDP growth during the same period. Meanwhile, among the seven countries that reduced emissions, Spain, Greece, France, and Slovenia experienced either stable or higher economic output. These national data illustrate that, during the first three months of 2026, emissions and GDP trends generally moved together across individual economies.
Annual totals remain beneath 2015 levels
Annual figures show that emissions across the EU continued their overall downward trend. In 2025, the combined greenhouse gas emissions from the economy and households amounted to approximately 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This figure is 17.2% below the total recorded in 2015. These annual statistics encompass emissions from businesses, public activities, and households, providing a broader perspective than the quarterly data, which focus on short-term changes in economic activity and energy use.
Therefore, the first-quarter data indicate a slight increase from late 2025 but a decline compared to the same period last year. The European Union saw higher economic output on an annual basis even as greenhouse gas emissions decreased during the same timeframe. Quarterly GDP remained unchanged from the previous three months. The latest dataset also highlights notable disparities among sectors and member states, with energy supply contributing the largest sectoral increase, while several countries recorded measurable reductions.