LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – Eurostat reported that in the first quarter of 2026, greenhouse gas emissions within the EU increased by 0.3%. Seasonally adjusted data indicate that emissions reached 837 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, up from 835 million tonnes in the previous quarter. During the same period, the European Union’s gross domestic product showed no quarterly variation. These figures offer the latest insight into emissions generated by economic activities and households across the 27-member bloc.
Compared to the first quarter of 2025, emissions decreased by 1.2%, while EU GDP grew by 0.8%, according to Eurostat data. The reported emissions encompass carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, all expressed in CO2-equivalent units. To facilitate comparisons between consecutive periods, Eurostat adjusts the quarterly emissions data for seasonal effects. The Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain provided their own estimates for emissions, while Eurostat compiled data for the remaining European Union member states.
The largest quarterly increase was seen in electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply, which rose by 4.8%. Emissions from water supply, sewerage, and waste management grew by 0.7%. Household emissions declined by 1.3%, with manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage each decreasing by 0.6%. Manufacturing remains the primary contributor to total EU emissions at 20.8%, followed closely by households at 20.2%. Electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply accounted for another 16.5% of total emissions.
Emission Trends in 20 EU Countries
During the quarter, greenhouse gas emissions increased in 20 of the EU’s 27 member states, while seven experienced declines. Estonia saw the highest rise at 9.7%, with Finland at 6.4% and Bulgaria at 4.6%. Eurostat attributed these increases mainly to higher emissions from construction and electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply. Conversely, Slovenia experienced the steepest reduction at 5.0%, followed by Luxembourg at 3.8% and Romania at 2.7% for the same period.
Among the 20 countries with rising emissions, 18 also reported GDP growth during the quarter. Four of the seven nations that managed to lower emissions recorded either higher or stable economic output. These included Spain, Greece, France, and Slovenia. The data offers a detailed country-by-country perspective, illustrating how emissions and GDP evolved across member states in the initial months of 2026.
EU Emissions Stay Below 2015 Levels
Eurostat’s separate annual data estimates that in 2025, EU economy and household greenhouse gas emissions totaled 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This figure represents a 17.2% reduction compared to 2015 levels. The annual measurement includes all economic activity and household emissions combined. Despite a slight increase from the last quarter of 2025, the latest quarterly figures show emissions remained below the same period in 2025, indicating continued progress.
Eurostat releases quarterly estimates on greenhouse gases to complement economic indicators such as GDP and employment figures. These data categorize emissions by economic sector and household activity, enabling cross-sector and cross-country comparisons within the EU. In the first quarter of 2026, emissions saw a modest increase compared to the previous quarter, while GDP remained steady. When compared to the same quarter in 2025, the trend reverses, with emissions decreasing by 1.2% and economic output rising by 0.8%.