LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In the first quarter of 2026, greenhouse gas emissions within the European Union economy saw a modest uptick. Eurostat reported seasonally adjusted emissions at 837 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing a 0.3% rise compared to the previous quarter. After revision, the total for the fourth quarter was 835 million tonnes. During the same period, the EU’s gross domestic product did not show any quarterly growth, allowing a direct comparison between economic output and emissions.
Looking at the year-on-year comparison, the trend moved in the opposite direction. Greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 1.2% compared with the first quarter of 2025, while EU GDP expanded by 0.8%. The data encompass carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, all expressed in a common CO2-equivalent metric. The quarterly series tracks emissions from economic activities and households across all 27 member states, with seasonal adjustments applied to results.
Among the primary sectors, energy-related activity registered the most significant quarterly increase. Emissions from electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply surged 4.8%, whereas water and waste activities grew by 0.7%. Household emissions, on the other hand, declined by 1.3%. Conversely, manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage each experienced a 0.6% reduction. Manufacturing remained the leading source of emissions, accounting for 20.8%, with households close behind at 20.2%.
Majority of EU nations see quarterly emission rises
During the first quarter, emissions increased in 20 EU member states while decreasing in seven. Estonia exhibited the largest rise at 9.7%, followed by Finland at 6.4% and Bulgaria at 4.6%. These increases mainly stemmed from higher emissions in construction and energy supply sectors. Slovenia, meanwhile, recorded the most significant decline at 5.0%, with Luxembourg falling 3.8% and Romania dropping 2.7% compared to the previous quarter.
Most of these countries with rising emissions also saw economic growth. Eighteen out of the 20 member states with increased greenhouse gas outputs reported GDP expansion during the same period. For those seven nations that experienced reductions, Spain, Greece, France, and Slovenia either maintained or increased their economic output. These figures illustrate how emissions and GDP movements often correlate across individual economies during the first three months of 2026.
Long-term decline keeps annual emissions below 2015 levels
Annual figures reveal a sustained downward trend in emissions across the bloc. In 2025, the EU’s economy and households emitted approximately 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This total is 17.2% lower than the amount recorded in 2015. The annual data encompass emissions from businesses, public entities, and households, offering a broader perspective than the quarterly figures, which primarily focus on short-term shifts in economic activity and energy consumption.
Consequently, the first-quarter data indicate a slight increase from late 2025, yet still reflect a decline compared to the same period a year earlier. The European Union experienced higher economic output annually while greenhouse gas emissions continued to decrease during the same timeframe. The latest data also reveal significant disparities across sectors and member states, with energy supply being the primary driver of sector-specific increases, and several countries reporting measurable reductions.