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In 2022, the greenhouse gas footprint of goods and services consumed in the EU amounted to 10.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents per capita. This indicator considers emissions generated throughout the production chains of products consumed in the EU, including emissions embedded in imported goods and services.

Among EU countries, the lowest greenhouse gas footprints were recorded in Sweden (7.9 tonnes of CO2 equivalents per capita), Portugal and Romania (8.0 tonnes each). 

In contrast, the highest footprints per capita were recorded in Cyprus (16.6 tonnes), Luxembourg (15.5 tonnes) and Ireland (14.2 tonnes).

Greenhouse gas emission footprints, 2022, tonnes of CO2 equivalents per capita. Chart. See link to a full dataset below.

Source dataset: cli_gge_foot

This article presents the key findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on greenhouse gas emission footprints.

EU production emissions lower than the greenhouse gas footprint

In 2022, the total greenhouse gas footprint of all goods and services consumed in the EU reached 4.8 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalents. At the same time, emissions generated by the production in the EU amounted to 3.6 billion tonnes. This suggests that a large share of EU’s greenhouse gas footprint was driven by the consumption of products that were produced outside the EU.

Both consumption and production-based greenhouse gas emissions decreased between 2010 and 2022, by 14% and 18%, respectively. However, in 2020, there was a sharp drop in emissions due to the pandemic. Since 2020 the greenhouse gas emission footprint increased by 12% and the production-based emissions increased by 4% in 2022. Despite this increase, 2022 emissions remain lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (by -1% for the consumption emissions and -6% for production-based emissions).

Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by consumption and production perspective, thousand tonnes of CO2 equivalents. Chart. See link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: cli_gge_foot

For more information

Methodological notes 

  • Greenhouse gas emissions can be viewed from 3 complementary perspectives. These are emissions from production within the EU economy (accounts), emissions from EU’s geographic territory (inventories), and emissions related to EU consumption (footprints). This article highlights the consumption and production perspective:
  • Consumption perspective, or footprints, account for emissions associated with the final consumption of goods and services in the EU, regardless of where those emissions occur along the global production chain. This is significant for the EU, which imports many of the goods and services used in its economy, while exporting a substantial share of its domestic production. Consumption-based emissions are not directly observable, so statistics must be modelled.
  • Production perspective, or accounts, represent emissions generated by economic activities and households residing in the EU, including emissions from international transport operated by EU-based entities. Production-based greenhouse gas emissions are directly observable, and Eurostat uses air emissions accounts to estimate them. 

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