The EU reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 7% in 2023, driven by significant declines in energy and manufacturing sectors. Notably, emissions from the transportation sector increased.
According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, the EU achieved a 7% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023, bringing total emissions to 3.4 billion tons of CO2 equivalents. This marks an 18% decline since 2013, showcasing the region’s progress toward its climate goals.
The electricity, gas, and manufacturing sectors led the way, with emissions from electricity and gas dropping by 43% (448 million tons of CO2 equivalents) and manufacturing emissions falling by 17% (142 million tons of CO2 equivalents) over the past decade. However, the transportation and storage sector saw a 14% increase in emissions. Household emissions, which require a more widespread effort, recorded a 14% decrease. Notably, the EU’s emission intensity—measured as emissions per unit of economic value—dropped by 32% from 2013 to 2023.
EU FARMS IMPROVE MANURE STORAGE
In addition, according to another study by Eurostat, in 2020, 40% of EU farms had manure storage facilities, with Slovenia, Latvia, and Estonia leading in adoption, while Cyprus, Greece, and Italy had the lowest rates. Among farms with storage, 57% stored solid manure, 16% used covered liquid manure systems, and 10% had deep litter systems. Though the share of uncovered liquid manure storage decreased by 5% between 2010 and 2020, environmental risks remain as 5% of farms still rely on uncovered storage. Countries like the Netherlands and Malta have phased out such practices, while Spain and Estonia have seen slight increases.