In the second quarter of 2023, the European Union (EU) experienced a notable 5.3% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions caused by economic activity compared to the same period in 2022. This decline was reported despite Cyprus being among the few EU countries where emissions rose (by 1.7%), according to Eurostat, the EU's statistical service.

The data, which includes quarterly estimates of the EU economy's greenhouse gas emissions, shows that emissions in the EU totaled 821 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq) during Q2 2023. This figure marks a decrease from 867 million tonnes CO2-eq recorded in the same quarter of the previous year.

During this period, the EU's gross domestic product (GDP) remained largely unchanged, registering a minor increase of 0.05% in Q2 2023 compared to the corresponding quarter in 2022.

In contrast to the general trend in the EU, Cyprus saw its economy emissions rise to 2.01 million tons CO2e in Q2 2023, up from 1.98 million tonnes CO2e in Q2 2022. Simultaneously, Cyprus' GDP grew by 2.21% compared to the same quarter the previous year.

The leading sectors contributing to greenhouse gas emissions in the EU in Q2 2023 were manufacturing (23.5%), households (17.9%), electricity and gas supply (15.5%), agriculture (14.3%), and transportation and storage (12.8%). Compared to Q2 2022, emissions declined in six out of nine economic sectors, with the largest decrease observed in electricity and gas supply (-22.0%). Conversely, transportation and storage saw an increase in emissions (+1.7%).

Unfortunately, specific data on the contribution of different economic sectors to Cyprus's greenhouse gas emissions were not available.

Greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 21 EU countries in Q2 2023 when compared to the same quarter in 2022. However, increases were noted in Malta (+7.7%), Latvia (+4.5%), Ireland (+3.6%), Lithuania (+3.0%), Cyprus (+1.7%), and Croatia (+1.0%).

Of these six, four countries - Malta, Croatia, Cyprus, and Lithuania - also reported GDP growth. The most significant reductions in greenhouse gases were seen in Bulgaria (-23.7%), Estonia (-23.1%), and the Netherlands (-10.3%).

Among the 21 EU members that lowered their emissions, 10 experienced a GDP decline. These include Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Sweden, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Italy managed to maintain its GDP at the same level as in Q2 2022 while reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. In a positive trend, ten EU countries - Denmark, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, Romania, and Greece - successfully decreased emissions while simultaneously growing their GDP.