LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In the first months of 2026, Eurostat reported that greenhouse gas emissions within the EU increased slightly. The seasonally adjusted total reached 837 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, up from 835 million tonnes in the previous quarter. During this period, the European Union’s gross domestic product remained steady, showing no quarterly change. These figures serve as the latest insight into emissions generated by both economic activities and households across the bloc’s 27 member states.
Compared to the same period in 2025, emissions experienced a decline of 1.2%, while the EU’s GDP grew by 0.8%, according to Eurostat data. The reported emissions include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, all expressed in CO2-equivalent units. To facilitate comparison, Eurostat adjusts the quarterly data for seasonal influences. Emissions estimates for the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain were provided by these countries themselves, while Eurostat filled in the gaps for the remaining European Union member states.
The largest quarterly increase in emissions was observed in the electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply sector, which rose by 4.8%. Additionally, water supply, sewerage, and waste management emissions grew by 0.7%. Household emissions, on the other hand, decreased by 1.3%, while manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage each fell by 0.6%. Manufacturing continued to be the main contributor, accounting for 20.8% of total EU emissions, followed closely by households at 20.2%. Electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply made up another 16.5% of the total.
Increase in Emissions Detected Across 20 EU Nations
During the quarter, greenhouse gas emissions grew in 20 of the EU’s 27 member states and fell in seven. Estonia saw the largest rise at 9.7%, with Finland at 6.4% and Bulgaria at 4.6%. Eurostat attributed these increases mainly to higher emissions from construction as well as electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply. Conversely, Slovenia experienced the steepest decline at 5.0%, with Luxembourg at 3.8% and Romania at 2.7% during the same period.
Of the 20 countries with rising emissions, 18 also recorded economic growth during the quarter. Among the seven nations that reduced emissions, four—Spain, Greece, France, and Slovenia—saw either higher or stable GDP. These detailed country-level figures illustrate how emissions and economic output changed across the EU during the first three months of 2026, providing a comprehensive view of the regional climate and economic trends.
Emissions for 2025 Still Remain Below 2015 Levels
Eurostat’s separate annual data indicates that EU economy and household greenhouse gas emissions totaled 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2025. This figure represents a 17.2% decrease compared to 2015. Covering all economic sectors and households combined, the annual data shows that, despite the slight increase from late 2025, emissions at the start of 2026 remained below the previous year’s levels.
Eurostat provides quarterly estimates of greenhouse gas emissions to complement economic indicators like GDP and employment figures. Their data classifies emissions by sector and household activity, enabling comparisons across industries and member states. For the first quarter of 2026, the modest rise in quarterly emissions coincided with a stable EU GDP. When comparing to the same quarter in 2025, the trend reverses—emissions decreased by 1.2%, even as economic output grew by 0.8%.