LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – During the first quarter of 2026, greenhouse gas emissions within the European Union saw a marginal uptick. Eurostat reported that seasonally adjusted emissions reached 837 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing a 0.3% increase compared to the previous quarter. The revised total for the fourth quarter was 835 million tonnes. Meanwhile, the EU’s gross domestic product experienced no quarter-to-quarter growth, providing a direct comparison between economic activity and emission levels.
In contrast, the annual perspective presents a different trend. Greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 1.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025, even as EU GDP grew by 0.8%. The data encompass carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, all measured in a common CO2-equivalent metric. This quarterly series captures emissions from both economic activities and households across all 27 member states, adjusting for seasonal variations.
Among the main sectors, energy-related operations saw the most significant quarterly rise. Emissions from electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply increased by 4.8%, while water and waste activities rose 0.7%. Conversely, household emissions declined by 1.3%. Manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage each experienced a 0.6% decrease. Manufacturing continued to be the largest contributor, accounting for 20.8% of total emissions, with households close behind at 20.2%.
Most EU nations see quarterly emissions growth
In the first quarter, emissions rose in 20 EU member states while decreasing in seven. Estonia had the largest increase at 9.7%, followed by Finland at 6.4% and Bulgaria at 4.6%. These increases were largely driven by higher emissions from construction and energy supply. Slovenia experienced the biggest drop at 5.0%, with Luxembourg falling 3.8% and Romania decreasing 2.7% compared to the previous quarter.
Most of the countries with rising emissions also saw economic growth. Eighteen of the 20 nations with increased greenhouse gas output reported GDP expansion during the same period. Among the seven that reduced emissions, Spain, Greece, France, and Slovenia recorded either unchanged or higher economic output. The country-specific data illustrate how emissions and GDP trends aligned across individual economies during the initial months of 2026.
Long-term decline keeps annual emissions below 2015 levels
Annual figures reveal a sustained reduction in emissions across the bloc, with EU economy and household greenhouse gases totaling roughly 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2025. This figure is 17.2% below the total documented in 2015. These annual statistics include emissions from businesses, public activities, and households, offering a broader perspective than the quarterly data, which focus on short-term shifts in economic activity and energy consumption.
Thus, the first-quarter data show a slight increase compared to late 2025 but a decrease when compared to the same period last year. The European Union experienced higher annual economic output while greenhouse gas emissions declined during the same timeframe. The latest data also reveal significant sectoral and national differences, with energy supply being the primary driver of sectoral increases and several countries reporting measurable reductions.