According to Eurostat, emissions generated by the EU’s economy in the third quarter of 2023 totaled 787 million CO2e, around 7% below the same quarter of 2022. Over the same period, the GDP remained stable, dropping just 0,2%.

Estonia was the top performer with a 30,7% decline, followed by a large margin by Bulgaria (-18,6%) and Germany (-12,2%). However, both Estonia and Germany saw their emissions cut amid a slowdown in economic growth.

In total, 23 member states recorded a decline in their emissions with just 11 countries, including our country, managing to decrease emissions while growing their economy. Romania’s carbon footprint dropped by 3%, well below the EU’s average. Still, at the same time, our country’s GDP increased by 2,9%.

In absolute terms, Eurostat data show that emissions generated by the Romanian economy in the third quarter of 2023 reached 26,6 million tons CO2e. The highest level in the third quarter was recorded by Eurostat in 2012 with 32,74 million tons CO2e.

The highest level on record since Eurostat began collecting EU-wide emissions data, was recorded in Romania in the fourth quarter of 2011 when the carbon footprint totaled 38,65 million tons CO2e.

Data analyzed by Eurostat also revealed that the economic sectors that contributed the most to the emission reduction in the EU were electricity and gas supply with a 23,7% decline, followed by a large margin by households (-6.5%) and the manufacturing industry (-4.9%). There were no available data on Romania by economic sector.