Indicators

Greenhouse gas emission intensity of power generation in the European Union has returned to the overall decreasing trend of the past decades. This follows a slight increase in use of fossil fuels during 2021 and 2022, linked to post-COVID recovery and the war in Ukraine. Generating one kilowatt hour emitted, on average, 20% less CO 2 in 2023 than in 2022 and 36% less than a decade ago. Climate and energy policies have effectively lowered carbon-intensive electricity supply over time, resulting in less coal use, more renewables and a more efficient EU generation mix.

Butterflies play an important role in ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services, including pollination. Butterflies are sensitive to environmental change and a good indicator of the health of the environment. Currently their numbers are declining. Between 1991 and 2023 the index of 17 grassland butterfly species in the European Union decreased very strongly, by 50%. To ensure the recovery of butterflies, Member States need to significantly increase the implementation of existing policies and put in place new conservation and restoration measures.

By the end of 2023, protected areas covered 26.4% of European Union land, with 18.6% of EU land designated as Natura 2000 sites and 7.8% under other complementary national designations. The EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 sets out a target of protecting at least 30% of EU land by 2030, while ensuring that all protected areas are managed effectively. The area reported as protected has steadily increased since 2011, by 1.8 percentage points, yet the pace of designation needs to more than double for the EU to meet the 30% target.

The European Union phased out ozone-depleting substances (ODS) ahead of its commitment under the Montreal Protocol. It continues its actions to reduce ODS emissions in the few remaining exempted uses. In 2024, the consumption of ODS in the EU was negative, amounting to -661 metric tonnes. This is explained by the fact that quantities exported and destroyed are outweighing the sum of quantities produced and imported.

The European Green Deal strategies set the target that at least 25% of the European Union’s agricultural area should be dedicated to organic farming by 2030. The share of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming increased from 5.9% in 2012 to 10.8% in 2023 as a result of an increasing demand for organic products and policy support. The pace would need to more than double in the remaining years up to 2030 in order to meet the target. Although the current policies aim to increase the share of organic farming, this alone will not be enough to reach the set target.

The European Union’s 8th Environment Action Programme aims to significantly reduce its consumption footprint by 2030, and keep related environmental impacts within planetary boundaries. These impacts stem from our consumption patterns and, depending on production locations, not confined to EU borders. During 2010-2023, the EU consumption footprint increased by around 5% and projections indicate a further increase by 2030, mainly attributed to economic growth and unsustainable consumption patterns. The EU is not presently on track to reduce its consumption footprint sufficiently. Switching to less harmful products and curbing consumption levels are strongly recommended to reach the target.

Despite the essential role of environmental taxation for the transition to a greener economy, the share of environmental taxes in total revenues from taxes and social contributions in the European Union decreased. This share has fallen from 6.3% in 2010 to 5.1% in 2023, the lowest level since 2010, setting the indicator outlook towards 2030 to be likely off track. The reasons for a decline vary, including: a shrinking tax base linked to electrification, structural changes in the economy, absence of tax indexations, and resistance to environmental taxes.

Increasing environment- and climate-related expenditure can help meet the objectives of the European Green Deal. Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts (EPEA) measure the economic resources used for prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution and any other degradation of the environment. Expenditure increased between 2018 and 2024 from 352 billion to 367 billion euros in the European Union. This represents a modest real term increase of 4.2% after inflation adjustments. EPE as a share of GDP declined to 2.0% in 2024, the lowest level recorded during the assessed period.

The air pollutants ammonia , non-methane volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides , fine particulate matter and sulphur oxides damage the environment and human health. Reducing their anthropogenic emissions is a priority for European Union and international air quality legislation. Since 2005, emissions of all five pollutants have declined with sulphur oxide reducing the most (84%) and ammonia the least (17%). Stronger effort, particularly in the agriculture, transport and energy sectors, is essential for the EU to fulfil longer term reduction commitments.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) accumulate in ecosystems and harm human health. Targeted EU legislation, in line with commitments under the UNECE Air Convention, has led to marked POP reductions since 1990. Between 2005 and 2023, emissions have continued to fall: hexachlorobenzene emissions reduced by 62%, polychlorinated biphenyls by 68%, dioxins and furans by 72%, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by 28%. The most significant POP sources are the commercial, institutional and households, and industrial processes and product use sectors.

Heavy metals accumulate in ecosystems and damage human health. In accordance with the European Union’s commitments under the UNECE Air Convention, specific legislation has led to reductions in heavy metal emissions to air across Europe from 1990 levels. Between 2005 and 2023, emissions have continued to decline, with cadmium emissions decreasing by 43%, mercury emissions by 57% and lead emissions by 46% across the EU-27 Member States. Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain contributed the most to heavy metal emissions in the EU during 2023.

With the introduction of policy measures in recent decades, the emissions of most air pollutants from transport in the EU-27 have decreased. Reductions in the road transport sector account for the greatest progress. However, the largest increases came from international aviation and navigation, with emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, particulate matter, ammonia and nitrous oxide rising in aviation, and methane emissions increasing in navigation. Most pollutants have rebounded since 2020, when they fell together with transport volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Promoting sustainable freight transport modes such as trains and shipping by inland waterways can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental pressures. The EU Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy underlines the importance of a shift towards greener freight transport. However, the share of train and inland waterways in Europe's total freight transport peaked in 2012 and has been declining since. Achieving a modal shift towards greener freight transport will require decisive action and a change in long-standing trends.

Weather- and climate-related extremes caused economic losses of assets estimated at EUR 822 billion during 1980 - 2024 in the European Union, with over EUR 208 billion (25%) between 2021 and 2024. Analysing trends in economic losses is challenging, primarily due to large annual variability. Statistical analyses revealed that economic losses increase over time and the last four years are all in the top five years of the highest annual economic losses since 1980. As severe weather- and climate-related extreme events are expected to intensify further, associated economic losses will likely continue to increase.