LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to Eurostat, greenhouse gas emissions within the EU economy increased by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2026. Seasonally adjusted data shows emissions reaching 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 experienced no change. These figures offer the latest insight into emissions produced by economic activities and households across the 27-member bloc.
Compared to the first quarter of 2025, emissions declined by 1.2%. Meanwhile, EU GDP grew by 0.8%, Eurostat data indicates. The reported emissions include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, all expressed in CO2-equivalent terms. Eurostat adjusts the quarterly data for seasonal factors, enabling better comparisons over time. While the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain provided their own estimates, Eurostat compiled data for the remaining European Union member states.
The largest increase in emissions was seen in electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply, which rose by 4.8%. Water supply, sewerage, and waste management emissions grew by 0.7%. Household emissions decreased by 1.3%. Manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage each saw declines of 0.6%. Manufacturing continued to be the biggest contributor, accounting for 20.8% of total EU emissions. Households followed at 20.2%. Electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply made up another 16.5% of the total.
Emissions increase in 20 EU member states
During the quarter, greenhouse gas emissions rose in 20 of the EU’s 27 member countries and fell in seven. Estonia experienced the largest jump at 9.7%, followed by Finland at 6.4%, and Bulgaria at 4.6%. Eurostat attributed these increases mainly to higher emissions from construction and the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning. Slovenia recorded the steepest decline at 5.0%. Luxembourg’s emissions dropped by 3.8%, and Romania’s by 2.7% during the same period.
Among the 20 countries with rising emissions, 18 also saw economic growth in the quarter. Four of the seven nations that reduced emissions posted either higher or stable GDP. These countries were Spain, Greece, France, and Slovenia. The data provides a detailed look at how emissions and GDP changed across individual member states during the first three months of 2026.
Emissions still below 2015 levels despite recent rise
Eurostat’s annual data shows that in 2025, the EU economy and households emitted a total of 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This was 17.2% less than in 2015. The annual figures encompass all economic activity and household emissions combined. The latest quarterly data indicates that emissions in early 2026 remained below the same period last year, despite a slight increase from late 2025.
Eurostat releases quarterly estimates of greenhouse gases alongside economic data such as GDP and employment. The information breaks down emissions by sector and household activity, enabling comparisons across different sectors and among member states. For Q1 2026, emissions grew modestly, even though the EU’s GDP remained stable. Compared to the same quarter in 2025, emissions decreased by 1.2%, while economic output grew by 0.8%.