1.1. Contact organisation
[4D0] European Commission (including Eurostat)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
[4D1_E2] Eurostat - Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
5, rue Alphonse Weicker
L-2721 Luxembourg
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
12 May 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
12 May 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
12 May 2026
The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 13 on climate action which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under 'Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature'. SDG 13 seeks to implement the commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for achieving a climate neutral world by mid-century to limit global warming to well below 2°C and aiming at 1.5°C (compared to pre-industrial times). It also aims to strengthen countries’ resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related natural hazards and the resulting disasters.
The European Climate Law sets out a framework for climate action and increases the EU’s ambition for 2030, with a goal to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55 % by that year (compared to 1990) and to achieve climate-neutrality by 2050. The European Commission has also put in place a package of new and revised EU climate and energy legislation — the so called Fit for 55 package — to increase its ambition on climate mitigation. The package comprises an interconnected set of measures in the area of energy, transport, taxation and climate policies, and includes strengthened and expanded carbon pricing, targets, standards and support measures. It also sets a target for natural carbon sinks of 310 million tonnes of CO2equivalents.
4.1. Data description
The indicator measures total national emissions (from both ESD and ETS sectors) of the so called ‘Kyoto basket’ of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and the so-called F-gases (hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, nitrogen triflouride (NF3) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)) from all sectors of the GHG emission inventories. Estimated emissions from international aviation and maritime transport are excluded for individual countries. The indicator is presented in two forms: as net emissions including land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) as well as excluding LULUCF. Using each gas’ individual global warming potential (GWP), they are being integrated into a single indicator expressed in units of CO2 equivalents. The GHG emission inventories are submitted annually by the EU Member States to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
4.2. Unit of measure
Million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
Tonnes of CO2 equivalent per capita
Index 1990 = 100
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year.
4.4. Accuracy - overall
Indicator from non-ESS source. For assessment of accuracy please refer to the original source (see link to external data source and metadata in section “Annexes”).
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
EEA (UNFCCC reporting)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data source: EEA, Reporting under United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC reporting)
Data provider: European Environment Agency (EEA), based on data from covered countries.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
Indicator is updated annually.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+2 years5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
New data points are disseminated within two years after the reference year.
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
< 75% EU MS or no EU aggregate6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye.
The EU aggregate is published under table 13_11, using a different scope (i.e. including international aviation and maritime transport).
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data are comparable between all EU Member States respectively other presented countries. Comparability between Member States is one of the core reporting principles that the greenhouse gas inventory must adhere to.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in year 1990.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points. When Member States gain new scientific knowledge that cause a change of an estimate, then the Member State needs to recalculate the full time series back to 1990 using this knowledge, if applicable.
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Analysis of the indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in the EU context).
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
See table sdg_13_10
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs: overview.
Copyrights: Eurostat Copyright/Licence Policy is applicable.
