EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 remain below pre-pandemic levels

The countries of the Old Continent emitted 867 million tons of CO ₂ during the second quarter of the current year.

During the second quarter of 2021, the greenhouse gas emissions of the European Union reached 867 million tons of CO ₂ . This figure means that this year’s levels are below those recorded before the coronavirus pandemic.

Precisely because of the effect of the confinements, the lowest value was recorded in the second quarter of 2020. This follows from the data distributed by Eurostat in which, for the first time, the quarterly data is detailed with this level of detail.

Specifically, greenhouse gas emissions in the second quarter of 2021 increased by 18% compared to the same quarter of the previous year. As detailed by the statistical establishment, this increase has its origin in the effect caused by the economic recovery launched after the sharp drop in activity in the same quarter of 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis.

In the second quarter of 2021, the economic sectors responsible for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions were industry and construction, with 34% of the total. They were followed by electricity supply, with 19%; agriculture, with 14%; transportation services, with 8%, and other services other than transportation, with another 8%.

101 million tons of CO ₂ in transport

For their part, households emitted 101 million tons of CO ₂ . Of these, 12% had to do with transport, which exceeded 52 million tons of CO ₂ . Emissions related to heating and other purposes reached 6%.

Greenhouse gas emissions in the second quarter of 2021 increased from the same period of the previous year in all sectors. Household emissions for heating increased by 42% and transport emissions by 25%. Emissions from manufacturing and construction increased by 22%. Similarly, those of transport services rose 18%. On the other hand, those from electricity supply grew by 17%.

Lastly, services other than transport increased their emissions by 13%. The emissions of the agricultural sector remained practically unchanged, 0.2% more. Despite the effect of the economic rebound between the second quarter of 2020 and 2021, Eurostat data indicates that the long-term trend of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU shows a constant reduction.

Speed up on targets

The improvement in Eurostat emissions statistics comes after the European Union agreed last April to reach neutrality from the climate point of view by 2050. The agreement reached by the European Council and Parliament established as law the collective goal of a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of “at least 55%” by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

“Our political commitment to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 is now also a legal commitment. The Climate Law puts the European Union on the green path for a generation,” said European Commission President Ursula von der They read.

Thus, the community countries are slowly advancing along the path of reducing emissions. A route that they will have to travel faster and faster thanks to the effect that the Next Generation Funds will have on the different recovery plans deployed by all the Member States.

Source: The Spanish