A new report from Eurostat shows that greenhouse gas emissions in the EU economy rose by 1,1% in the third quarter of 2025 compared with the previous quarter. The figures are seasonally adjusted, meaning that recurring seasonal factors such as weather conditions and holiday periods have been excluded.

Over the same period, the increase in emissions was stronger than the pace of economic expansion. While emissions continued to climb, economic activity grew at a more modest rate, with the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) increasing by 0,4% compared with the previous quarter.

At the national level, trends varied across the bloc. Emissions rose in 17 Member States, while ten recorded declines. The sharpest reductions were observed in Estonia, where emissions fell by 17.4%, followed by Slovenia with a 5.7% decrease and Cyprus with a 5.2% drop.

Romania is among the nine EU countries that managed to cut emissions while maintaining or increasing its GDP, placing it in a group of Member States that combined environmental progress with economic stability.

On a year-on-year basis, the situation looks more optimistic. “Year-on-year, EU emissions were stable, while GDP increased by 1.6%, reinforcing that economic growth can go hand in hand with climate action,” Eurostat said in a post on social media.