The EU’s progress in reducing emissions has accelerated in 2023, with the second steepest reduction after 2020, which was heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
New analysis from CREA finds that the EU’s CO2 emissions have dropped to levels not seen since the 1960s. More than half of the 2023 reduction stems from a cleaner electricity mix.
Key findings
- The EU’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuels saw a year-on-year drop of 8% in 2023, reaching levels unseen since the early 1960s. This is the second steepest decline observed since the emissions drop in 2020 which was heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- More than half of the decline (56%) stems from a cleaner electricity mix, with the continuous rise of wind and solar capacity as well as a rebound in hydropower and nuclear availability.
- The EU achieved a notable 25% year-on-year reduction in CO2 emissions from power generation, while other sectors declined by 4%.
- EU’s CO2 emissions from coal have halved since 2015, and saw a year-on-year decrease of 25%. Gas-related emissions declined by 11%, and oil emissions by 2%, compared to the previous year.