Greenhouse gas emission footprints

Data extracted in February 2025

Planned article update: December 2025

Highlights

In 2022, the EU's greenhouse gas footprint amounted to 10.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per capita.

In 2022, global greenhouse gas emissions induced by EU consumption were 32% higher, in both per capita and absolute terms, than the emissions produced in the EU related to consumption anywhere in the world.

Source: Eurostat (cli_gge_foot)

This article is a part of the Eurostat online publication Statistics on climate change mitigation. Emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities contribute to global warming and climate change. These emissions can be considered from several perspectives, including from the production and consumption perspectives.

This article focuses on greenhouse gas emissions from the consumption perspective, commonly referred to as footprint. The European Union (EU) footprint includes emissions associated with the final consumption of goods and services. This encompasses all emissions generated throughout the production chain of a product that ultimately arrives in the EU for final use, regardless of the country or industry where the emissions occur. This perspective is particularly important for the EU because many of the goods and services consumed in its economy are imported.

By contrast, the production perspective presents emissions from economic activities and households residing in the hosting economy, irrespective of where the goods and services were consumed.

Using the interactive graphs in this article, readers can further explore the data on greenhouse gas emissions footprints (hereinafter referred to as greenhouse gas footprints) on their own.

Greenhouse gas emissions by production and consumption perspective

Figure 1 shows the evolution of consumption- and production-based greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. Throughout the available time series, the EU’s greenhouse gas footprint has been higher than its production-based emissions, making it a net importer of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2022, the EU's greenhouse gas footprint reached 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalents, which was 32% higher than its production-based emissions. Both consumption- and production-based greenhouse gas emissions decreased between 2010 and 2022, by 14% and 18%, respectively. However, between 2020 and 2022, the greenhouse gas footprint increased by 12% and the production-based emissions increased by 4%.

Figure 1. Greenhouse gas emissions by consumption and production perspective, EU, 2010-2022

Table 1 provides an overview of global greenhouse gas emissions from the production and consumption perspectives, as estimated by Eurostat. In 2022, global greenhouse gas emissions were estimated to be 51.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents. Some 3.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalents were produced in the EU (7% of the global emissions). Of these, 2.9 billion tonnes served final demand (consumption) within the EU, and 0.7 billion tonnes served consumption in the rest of the world.

The EU's consumption (final demand of goods and services) led to 4.8 billion tonnes of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, which was about 9% of worldwide emissions. Some 1.9 billion tonnes of these emissions originated from non-EU countries, for example, through imports into the EU.

		Consumption perspective
		Serving EU consumption	Serving consumption in the non-EU rest of the world	Total produced
Production perspective	Produced in EU	2.9 (5.6%)	0.7 (1.4%)	3.6 (7.0%)
	Produced in non-EU rest of the world	1.9 (3.7%)	45.9 (89.3%)	47.8 (93.0%)
	Total consumed	4.8 (9.3%)	46.6 (90.7%)	51.4 (100%)

Table 1. EU greenhouse gas emissions vis-à-vis the rest of the world, 2022 (billion tonnes of CO2 equivalents)
Note: The percentage in the brackets indicates the share of the total world emissions.

Greenhouse gas footprints by type of gas

Figure 2 shows what proportion of each gas that makes up the EU’s greenhouse gas footprint originates from within the EU and what proportion originates elsewhere. While the majority of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions related to EU consumption were produced within the EU in 2022, more than 50% of methane (CH₄), perfluorocarbon (PFC), and nitrogen trifluoride and sulphur hexafluoride (NF3-SF6) emissions were generated outside the EU. Switching the unit in Figure 2 from percentage to tonnes highlights the largest contributors to the EU’s greenhouse gas footprint. In 2022, CO₂ was the largest contributor, accounting for 75% of the total footprint, followed by methane at around 18%. The remaining gases collectively made up about 7%.

Figure 2. Greenhouse gas footprints, by origin, EU, 2022

Greenhouse gas footprints across EU countries

In absolute terms, the largest EU economies have the highest greenhouse gas footprint. For example, Germany’s consumption was linked to 1 098 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, followed by France with 633 million tonnes, Italy with 629 million tonnes and Spain with 453 million tonnes. By contrast, Malta – one of the smallest EU countries – had a greenhouse gas footprint of just 5 million tonnes.

To better compare countries, it is useful to examine per capita emissions. Map 1 illustrates the greenhouse gas footprint of EU countries in tonnes per capita for 2022. The largest emitters on a per capita basis are smaller countries, such as Cyprus (16.6 tonnes per capita) and Luxembourg (15.5 tonnes per capita). Germany, with 13.1 tonnes of emissions per capita, ranks among the top emitters both in absolute and per capita terms. By contrast, France, while having one of the highest total emissions, ranks among the lowest when measured per capita.

Between 2010 and 2022, 20 EU countries reduced their greenhouse gas footprint per capita, while 7 countries saw an increase. Malta, Sweden, and Finland achieved reductions of 37%, 36%, and 35%, respectively. By contrast, the per capita footprint increased by 30% in Bulgaria, 21% in Romania, and 17% in Croatia.

Map 1: Greenhouse gas footprints
(tonnes per capita)

Figure 3 shows greenhouse gas emissions in EU countries from both the production and consumption (footprint) perspectives, measured in kilograms per capita. In 2022, emissions associated with consumption exceeded those from production in all countries except Denmark and Poland. The largest gap between consumption-based and production-based emissions was in Cyprus, followed by Croatia.

Figure 3. Greenhouse gas footprints in the EU, by perspective, by country, 2022

Greenhouse gas footprints by economic activity

The 3 figures below illustrate the sources of the EU’s greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane footprints by economic activities classified according to NACE and households. In 2022, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply generated the largest share of the EU’s greenhouse gas footprint, contributing 1.1 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, almost a quarter of the total footprint for that year (see Figure 4). This was followed by emissions from manufacturing and from agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 1.0 billion and 0.8 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, respectively. Emissions from household activities constituted 0.7 billion tonnes.

Figure 4. Source of greenhouse gas footprints, by economic activity, EU

Since CO₂ emissions account for the largest share (75%) of the EU’s greenhouse gas footprint, the CO₂ footprint shows a quite similar picture for most economic activities (see Figure 5). Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply contributed the most to the EU’s CO₂ footprint, followed by manufacturing and households.

Figure 5. Source of carbon dioxide footprints, by economic activity, EU

The methane footprint shows a different pattern. In 2022, agriculture, forestry, and fishing was the largest contributor to the EU’s methane footprint (0.4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalents), followed by mining and quarrying (0.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalents), see Figure 6. The majority of methane emissions in these two sectors originated from outside the EU.

Figure 6. Source of methane footprints, by economic activity, EU

Origin (extra-EU) of the greenhouse gas footprints induced by EU consumption

A total of 1.9 billion tonnes (or 39%) of the EU’s greenhouse gas footprint was produced outside the EU. Figure 7 provides a closer look at these emissions, showing the origin (from non-EU countries) of the EU’s greenhouse gas footprint. Among the G20 countries, the largest share was from China, which accounted for 416 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents or 22% of the extra-EU emissions associated with EU consumption in 2022. Russia followed with 203 million tonnes (11%) and the United States with 100 million tonnes (5%). Some 40% of emissions originated from non-G20 countries. Compared with 2021, the emissions from China and the United States in the EU’s footprint increased by 14% and 27%, respectively, while the emissions from Russia declined by 12%.

Figure 7. Origin (extra-EU) of greenhouse gas footprints, EU

Destination (extra-EU) of production-based greenhouse gas emissions in the EU

Out of 3.6 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the EU in 2022, 0.7 billion tonnes, or 20% of total emissions, were associated with goods and services exported by the EU and consumed in other parts of the world. Figure 8 shows the destination of these emissions. Most of the exports went to the United States, accounting for 139 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents (19% of extra-EU emissions), followed by China, with 103 million tonnes (14%). Compared with 2021, the emissions exported to the United States increased by 11%, while those exported to China fell by 14%.

Figure 8. Destination (extra-EU) of production-based greenhouse gas emissions, EU

Data sources

Greenhouse gas emissions can be viewed from 3 complementary perspectives. These are (1) emissions from production within the EU economy (accounts), (2) emissions from EU’s geographic territory (inventories), and (3) emissions related to EU consumption (footprints).

Each of these 3 perspectives serves different purposes, offering unique insights and resulting in different emission figures:

Production perspective or accounts: This view represents 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. The scope is aligned with the national accounts. Eurostat collects air emissions accounts from European national statistical institutes based on Regulation 691/2011. Eurostat estimates air emissions accounts for non-European countries and the rest of the world block based on the global emissions database EDGAR and the OECD database on emissions from air transport.
Territorial perspective or inventories: The territorial approach measures environmental pressures that occur within the physical borders of EU countries. It tracks emissions on an annual basis, focusing on emissions occurring within the EU, regardless of the source's economic or production ties. The European Environment Agency (EEA) compiles an annual greenhouse gas inventory report on behalf of the EU. Estimates of greenhouse gas emissions are produced for a number of sources which are delineated in sectors primarily according to the technological source of emissions, as devised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Consumption perspective or footprints: This perspective accounts 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. The consumption-based estimates of greenhouse gas emissions presented above are compiled with the help of a multi-regional world input-output model extended by an environmental variable, also referred to as Leontief-type modelling. Two main Eurostat data sources feed into the model to compile the estimates: global air emissions accounts and global input-output tables.

While the production and consumption perspectives focus on the economy’s environmental impact—covering areas such as international transport and global supply chains—the territorial perspective emphasises emissions within the EU's geographic borders.

In both production and consumption perspectives (accounts and footprints), the emissions data are organised by economic activity, using the NACE classification. Eurostat’s air emissions accounts and footprints offer a detailed analysis by 64 economic activities following the EU’s statistical classification of economic activities (NACE Rev. 2) from 2008. This arrangement makes it possible to have an integrated environmental-economic analysis to supplement national accounts. The scope encompasses production by all businesses resident in the country, including those operating ships, aircraft and other transportation equipment in other countries. The NACE Rev. 2 groups used in this article are:

Agriculture, forestry and fishing — NACE Rev. 2 Section A

Mining and quarrying — NACE Rev. 2 Section B

Manufacturing — NACE Rev. 2 Section C

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply — NACE Rev. 2 Section D

Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities — NACE Rev. 2 Section E

Construction — NACE Rev. 2 Section F

Transportation and storage — NACE Rev. 2 Section H

Services (except transportation and storage) — NACE Rev. 2 Sections G to U, excluding H, in other words all remaining economic activities as defined in NACE without transportation and storage

Total — all NACE activities

The data also include households as consumers. Their emissions are accounted for whenever household consumption is directly responsible for environmental pressures. For example, emissions from a privately owned car are accounted for under households, whereas cars owned by transport businesses (such as taxis) are accounted for under transportation and storage.

Context

In the European Union, Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts (including its amendments in 2014 and 2022) has established a common framework for the collection, compilation, transmission and evaluation of European environmental economic accounts, for the purpose of setting up environmental economic accounts as satellite accounts to the European System of Accounts (ESA). The environmental economic accounts in the Regulation are grouped in the 6 modules:

Air emissions accounts

Economy-wide material flow accounts

Environmental taxes

Environmental protection expenditure accounts

Environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) accounts

Physical energy flow accounts

More information on these modules can be found through Eurostat’s dedicated section on environment.

The most recent amendment of the Regulation - through Regulation (EU) 2024/3024 - introduced 3 further modules:

Forest accounts

Environmental subsidies and similar transfers accounts

Ecosystem accounts

Preparing the implementation of these new modules is one of the key objectives of the European Strategy for environmental accounts (ESEA) for the period 2024-2028.

In line with the EU’s commitment to tackling environmental challenges and becoming climate-neutral, the environmental accounts are vital for providing better information for supporting Europe's sustainable prosperity and competitiveness and its quality of life as well as for implementing the 8th Environmental Action Programme and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Explore further

Database

Environmental footprints – modelling results

Thematic section

Visualisation