EU emissions fall further, further cuts needed for climate target
European emissions were around 40 per cent below 1990 levels in 2024.
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Net greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union fell by around 3 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023. According to the European Environment Agency, emissions were therefore around 40 per cent below 1990 levels, but further reductions are needed to meet the 2030 climate targets.
The figures are contained in the European greenhouse gas inventory for 1990 to 2024, published at the end of October. They concern net domestic emissions, including changes in land use and the absorption of greenhouse gases by land and forests. The figures describe emissions from the EU as a whole and do not mean that every country or sector has seen the same development.
The European Environment Agency reports that emissions in 2024 were around 3 per cent lower than a year earlier. Since 1990, the decline has been around 40 per cent. The agency also reports emissions of around 6 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per person in 2024 and around 184 grams of CO₂ equivalent per euro of economic output.
According to European analyses, the decline came mainly from the energy sector. The agency says renewable energy, lower use of coal and gas, and improvements in energy efficiency reduced emissions. According to the agency, agricultural soils remain an important source of nitrous oxide, while the energy sector was responsible for more than three-quarters of the total net decline over the period 2005–2024.
The climate target has therefore not yet been reached. Under its climate law, the EU must be at least 55 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. A 40 per cent decline in 2024 therefore means that a substantial further reduction is still needed in the remaining years. The 2024 figures are based on the official inventory.
The development shows that emissions reductions go hand in hand with changes in energy supply and production, but do not automatically mean that households or businesses everywhere experience the same costs or benefits. The decline is therefore a measurable result, not proof that the climate problem has been solved. The question for the coming years is whether the reduction remains structural as energy prices, economic growth and industrial production change.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
Both sides of the figures
▲ Bright spots
- The EU economy produced around 184 grams of CO₂ equivalent per euro of economic output in 2024, according to the EEA.
- Since 2005, the energy sector has delivered more than three-quarters of the net decline, partly through greater use of renewable energy and lower use of coal and gas.
▼ Concerns
- Emissions in 2024 were still around 40 per cent below 1990 levels, while a reduction of at least 55 per cent is needed by 2030.
- According to the EEA, agricultural soils remain an important source of nitrous oxide.
Critical note
The figures are net emissions at EU level and do not mean that every business or household has lower costs; the reduction may also differ significantly by sector and member state.
Who notices what
- Households
- The figures point to a cleaner European energy supply, but do not show what energy costs individual households experience.
- Businesses
- Businesses face an economy that produces less emissions per euro, but with varying costs of becoming more sustainable across sectors.
- Government
- Governments must increase the pace of reductions to move from an approximately 40 per cent decline in 2024 to at least 55 per cent in 2030.
Every point comes from the article’s sources and was included in the fact check.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures come from the official European greenhouse gas inventory and are supported by EEA and Commission information. The article distinguishes between net emissions, the overall level, per-capita emissions and the 2030 policy target.
- confirmed EU emissions fell by around 3 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023. — The EEA reports a decline of around 3 per cent. source
- confirmed EU emissions in 2024 were around 40 per cent below 1990 levels. — Reported by the EEA on the basis of the official inventory. source
- confirmed The EU target for 2030 is at least a 55 per cent reduction compared with 1990. — Stated in the European Commission's climate reporting. source
- confirmed The energy sector was responsible for more than three-quarters of the net decline since 2005. — The EEA cites this share in its analysis of trends and drivers. source
Editor's note
The emissions decline and the level relative to 1990 come from the official EEA inventory and are supported by EU sources. They concern net emissions at EU level; sectors and member states may differ significantly.Sources
- The EU has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% since 1990 — European Environment Agency
- Key trends and drivers in greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union — European Environment Agency
- Climate action: advances and challenges — European Commission