Cyprus' 3.7% greenhouse gas increase stands out in EU

In the third quarter of 2023, greenhouse gas emissions through economic activity had increased by 3.7% in Cyprus and decreased by 7.1% across the EU, compared with the same quarter of 2022, according to the latest quarterly estimates published by Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU.

The increase estimated for Cyprus was the second largest of the four member states where an increase was recorded.

On an EU level, greenhouse gas emissions were estimated to have decreased from 847 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq) during the third quarter of 2022 to 787 million tonnes CO2-eq during the third quarter of 2023. In Cyprus, there was an estimated increase from 2.3 million tonnes CO2-eq to 2.4 million tonnes CO2-eq during the same period.

Meanwhile, the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) remained stable, registering just a small variation (-0.2% in the third quarter of 2023, compared with the same quarter of 2022), while at the same time Cyprus was the country with the second largest increase in GDP (+2.5%) among the countries that had also increased their emissions.

The economic sectors responsible for the largest reductions in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the third quarter of 2022, were electricity and gas supply (- 23.7%), households (-6.5%) and manufacturing (-4.9%). There were no available data on Cyprus by economic sector.

In the third quarter of 2023, greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have decreased in 23 EU countries, when compared with the third quarter of 2022. Increases are estimated for Malta (+7.7%), Cyprus (+3.7%), Latvia (+3.4%) and Slovakia (0.9%).

Among these four EU members, 3 had a GDP increase: Malta (+7.1%), Cyprus (+2.5%) and Slovakia (+1.1%).

The largest reductions in greenhouse gases are estimated for Estonia (-30.7%), Bulgaria (-18.6%) and Germany (-12.2%).

Out of the 23 EU members that are estimated to have decreased their emissions, 11 also recorded a decline in their GDP (Ireland, Estonia, Austria, Luxembourg, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Hungary). Italy maintained its GDP at the same level as in the third quarter of 2022 while decreasing its GHG emissions.

The other 11 EU countries (Romania, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia, Poland, France, Lithuania) are estimated to have managed to decrease emissions while growing their GDP.