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Indicator Assessment
Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU-27 decreased by 24 % between 1990 and 2019, exceeding the target of a 20 % reduction from 1990 levels by 2020. By 2030, the projections based on current and planned measures of the EU-27 show an emission reduction of 36 %, which is a rather conservative outlook in the absence of new measures. Further effort will certainly be necessary with a view to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and the proposed increased milestone target of a 55 % reduction by 2030 (compared with 1990 and including removals).
The EU is expected to meet its 2020 reduction target of 20 %. According to recent estimates, GHG emissions in the EU-27 countries were 24 % lower in 2019 than in 1990. The emission decrease between 2018 and 2019 was 4 % - the steepest annual reduction seen in the last decade.
Looking forward towards the climate mitigation targets for 2030, the EU’s GHG emission reductions will be the joint efforts of the EU-27 Member States. According to the sum of national projections submitted to the EEA, the EU-27’s total GHG emissions are expected to continue declining, albeit at a slower pace than needed to achieve the 2030 target. As these projections were prepared in 2019 and early 2020, they do not factor in the adopted climate neutrality objective by 2050, the proposed raised ambition for 2030 and subsequent policy proposals to achieve these. By 2030, the projections based on current and planned measures show a total emission reduction of 36 %, which is a rather conservative outlook in the absence of new measures. Further effort would therefore be necessary to achieve the increased emission reduction target of 55 % that has been proposed for 2030 (compared with 1990 and including removals)([1]).
The EU’s aim to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 will require a realistic and reliable emissions pathway into the future. The current EU-wide 2030 target of 40 % emission reductions compared with 1990 levels would leave a steeper and more challenging reduction path to climate neutrality by mid-century: the EU-27 would have to triple its annual average reductions from 2030 to 2050, compared with the average annual reductions that it achieved in the period 2005-2018. The European Commission’s has therefore proposed to increase the 2030 emissions reduction target to at least 55 %, including removals, compared with 1990.
([1]) The EEA projections data set includes Member States’ most recent GHG emissions projections, thirteen of which were updated in March 2020. For some countries, the projected effects of additional measures (‘WAM scenarios’) differ from those submitted in their national energy and climate plans (NECPs), as does the method to gapfill missing scenarios. For a comparison of the projections submitted under the MMR and those included in the NECPs, please consult the Trends and projections report 2020.
Three key EU policies address GHG emissions and removals: the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), the Effort Sharing legislation and the legislation on emissions and removals from LULUCF.
By 2030, EU-27 projections with existing and planned measures submitted by Member States point to at least 29 % reductions in Effort Sharing emissions compared with 2005 levels and 41 % for ETS emissions compared to 2005 levels. Both close to reaching the 2030 Effort Sharing and ETS targets respectively. Yet, current projections are more uncertain than they have been in previous years, since they are not taking into account policies that are planned subsequent to the adoption of the climate neutrality objective by 2050 and the proposal for the raised ambition for 2030. Also, the unpredictability surrounding the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic adds to the uncertainty of the currently available projections.
This indicator presents past and projected emission trends in Europe and assesses the progress of the EU towards its international and internal GHG targets.
The EU’s total GHG emissions are shown in the context of the EU’s overall climate targets and disaggregated trends are shown to illustrate the development of emissions covered by the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) and the Effort Sharing Legislation as well as from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF). Emissions from international aviation are included in the total GHG emissions and depicted separately, together with the disaggregated trends.
In accordance with the UNFCCC Reporting Guidelines, the total GHG emissions do not cover emissions from international shipping, net land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) emissions and/or removals, and CO2 emissions from the combustion of biomass (including biofuels in transport).
The indicator covers all 27 Member States of the European Union and the UK for historic emission trends, future emission trends (from 2021 onwards) do not include the UK.
This indicator is expressed in GHG emissions in 'million tonnes CO2-equivalent' (Mt CO2e).
The UNFCCC sets an ultimate objective of stabilising GHG concentrations 'at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human induced) interference with the climate system.' The European Union, as a party to the UNFCCC, reports annually on the GHG emissions within the area covered by its Member States. The Annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory and inventory report, officially submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat, is prepared on behalf of the European Commission (DG CLIMA) by the EEA and its European Topic Centre for Climate change mitigation and energy (ETC/CME), supported by the Joint Research Centre and Eurostat.
In 2007, EU leaders committed to a 20 % reduction in EU GHG emissions by 2020 on the basis of 1990 GHG emissions. The EU 2020 Climate and Energy Package, adopted in 2009, sets a two-fold legislative framework to achieve the 20 % GHG emission reduction objective:
Building on the 2020 climate and energy package, the European Council adopted the 2030 climate and energy framework, which sets a target of a 40 % reduction in GHG emissions compared with 1990.
Very recently, as part of the European Green Deal, the Commission proposed to raise the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target, including emissions and removals, to at least 55% compared to 1990. This will enable the EU to move towards a climate-neutral economy by 2050. This new long-term objective is a key element of the European Green Deal and and in line with the EU’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement.
This indicator aims to present an assessment of the EU's progress towards its 2020, 2030 and 2050 ambitions under consideration of the trends of emissions covered under the ETS, ESD and LULUCF legislation. The indicator is based on the official GHG inventories submitted by the EEA countries and the EU to the UNFCCC, as well as on the projected GHG emissions submitted by the Member States under the Monitoring Mechanism Regulation (Regulation 525/2013, MMR).
EU greenhouse gas targets 2020
The unilateral 20 % GHG reduction target, in the context of the EU Climate and Energy Package, corresponds to a 14 % decrease in emissions between 2005 and 2020. The target is to be achieved both in the sectors covered by the EU ETS (21 % reduction in EU ETS emissions compared with 2005 levels) and in the other sectors covered by national emission targets under the ESD.
The annual ESD targets used in the indicator are consistent with the EU ETS scope for the third trading period (2013–2020), based on
EU greenhouse gas targets 2030
In October 2015, the European Council adopted the '2030 climate and energy framework', setting a binding target to cut emissions in the EU territory by at least 40 % below 1990 levels by 2030 with emission cuts of
As part of as part of the European Green Deal, the Commission proposed to raise the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target, including emissions and removals, to at least 55% compared to 1990. This will enable the EU to move towards a climate-neutral economy by 2050. This new long-term objective is a key element of the European Green Deal and in line with the EU’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement.
This indicator is based on the official GHG inventories submitted by the EEA countries to the EEA, as well as on the projected GHG emissions submitted by the Member States under the Monitoring Mechanism Regulation (Regulation 525/2013, MMR). The EU GHG inventory submitted by the EU to the UNFCCC is based on the same data and is also used. The EU ETS emissions, as reported to the European Commission by operators of industrial installations and aircrafts, are also used. When available, approximate estimates of the GHG emissions for the year (X-1) are also presented.
Greenhouse gases
In line with the UNFCCC reporting guidelines on annual inventories, the national inventories cover emissions and removals of the following GHGs:
- carbon dioxide (CO2), including indirect CO2;
- methane (CH4);
- nitrous oxide (N2O);
- hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);
- perfluorocarbons (PFCs);
- suphur hexafluoride (SF6); and
- nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)
from six sectors (Energy, Industrial processes and product use, Agriculture, LULUCF, Waste and Other).
The gases do not include the GHG emissions that are also ozone-depleting substances, which are controlled by the Montreal Protocol.
In order to be aggregated, non-CO2 gases are weighted by their respective global warming potential (GWP) and presented in CO2-equivalent units. Global warming potential (GWP) is a measure of how much a given mass of a GHG is estimated to contribute to global warming on a 100-year horizon.
In accordance with the UNFCCC rules, the GWP values used in this indicator are the ones from IPCC AR4:
Gas |
Global warming potential values from IPCC AR2 [before 2015] |
Global warming potential values from IPCC AR4 [after 2015] |
Carbon dioxide (CO2) |
1 |
1 |
Methane (CH4) |
21 |
25 |
Nitrous oxide (N2O) |
310 |
298 |
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) |
23 900 |
22 800 |
Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) |
_ |
17 200 |
HFCs and PFCs comprise a large number of different gases that have different GWPs. The full list of GWPs can be found here: IPCC AR 4
Greenhouse gas inventories
For the preparation of their national inventories, countries use the methodologies of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.
Projected greenhouse gas emissions
For projected GHG emissions, information submitted by the EEA countries under the MMR is used. The projected GHG emissions referred to in the indicator are those reported under the 'with existing measures' scenario (WEM) and the 'with additional measures' scenario (WAM).
Emission trading system emissions
Emissions from the EU ETS are also presented in the indicator. The EU ETS runs over three trading periods: Phase I (2005-2007), Phase II (2008-2012) and Phase III (2013-2020).
In 2013, the scope of the EU ETS was expanded to include additional references to (a) the capture, transport and geological storage of GHG emissions; (b) CO2 emissions from petrochemical, ammonia and aluminium production; (c) N2O emissions from the production of nitric, adipic and glyoxylic acids; and (d) PFC emissions from aluminium production. Since 1 January 2012, aviation has also been part of the EU ETS.
Since 2013, these emissions have been calculated by the plant operators that fall under the ETS obligations in line with Regulation No 601/2012, whereas in Phase II of the EU ETS (2008-2012), the monitoring and reporting of the operators was based on Commission Decision 2004/156/EU.
Croatia entered the EU ETS on 1 January 2013.
Approximated greenhouse gas inventory
Finally, this indicator uses data and estimates from the 'Approximated GHG inventory' for the year (X-1). These 'proxy' inventories are reported by Member States to the EEA and to the Commission under the MMR by 31 July of each year, X, and are calculated at an aggregated level on the basis of the national and international information available for the year (X-1).
Greenhouse gas inventories (years 1990-(X-2)):
The historic emission data presented in the indicator are based on the information reported by Member States under the MMR. However, should a Member State not submit the inventory data required to compile the EU inventory, the Commission shall prepare estimates to complete the GHG inventories submitted by Member States in consultation and close cooperation with the Member States concerned. In this case, the Member State shall use the gap-filled inventory in its official submission to the UNFCCC. The basis for these gap-filling processes is described in the Commission Delegated Regulation of 12.03.2014 (http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/g-gas/monitoring/docs/c_2014_1539_en.pdf )
Projected greenhouse gas emissions (year X–2035):
In order to ensure the timeliness, completeness, consistency, comparability, accuracy and transparency of the reporting of projections by the EU and its Member States, the quality of the reported projections is assessed by the ETC/CME on behalf of the EEA. As the Member States' reporting of projections is carried out every 2 years by countries, in certain cases, projections are adjusted to ensure full consistency with historic GHG emission data from the latest GHG inventories. Where a country has not made a submission, data are gap-filled by the ETC/CME.
Approximated greenhouse gas inventory (year X-1):
Under the MMR, the Commission shall also estimate a Member State’s approximated GHG inventory if the Member State does not provide it. These estimates are provided by the EEA and are country-specific. More information on the methodology used for gap-filling is provided in the 'Approximated GHG inventory report' of each year.
Greenhouse gas inventories
(a) Difference in methodologies between countries
Since Member States use different national methodologies, national activity data or country-specific emission factors in accordance with IPCC and UNFCCC guidelines, these different methodologies are reflected in the EU GHG inventory data. The EU believes that it is consistent with the UNFCCC reporting guidelines and the 2006 IPCCC guidelines to use different methodologies for one source category across the EU territory, especially if this helps to reduce the uncertainty and improve the consistency of the emission data, provided that each methodology is consistent with the 2006 IPCC guidelines. At the same time, the EU is making an effort to promote and support the use of higher tier methodologies across Member States. At the EU level, and for most of the key categories of the EU inventory, more than 75 % of the EU emissions are calculated using higher tier methodologies, resulting in lower uncertainty rates.
(b) Global warming potential
According to the IPCC, the GWP values used in the IPCC AR4 have an uncertainty of ±35 % for the 5-95 % (90 %) confidence range.
Projected greenhouse gas emissions
The methodology proposed consists of simple additions of data reported by Member States. However, uncertainty arises from the following:
Several countries carry out sensitivity analyses on their projections.
Approximated greenhouse gas inventory
The uncertainty ranges estimated in the approximated GHG inventories are derived by comparing the official national data submitted to the UNFCCC in year X with the proxy estimates of the same year. The uncertainty for the approximated emissions at the EU level is estimated as the weighted mean of the differences described: weighted again by the relative contribution that each Member State makes to total EU-28 emissions. More details about these methodologies are provided each year in the 'Approximated GHG inventory report'.
The 2006 IPCC Guidelines provide approaches on how Parties should estimate uncertainties, suggesting different values for the uncertainty of activity data and emission factors for most of the emission source categories. On the basis of this guidance, EU Member States and other EEA countries perform their own assessment of the uncertainty of reported data and provide an uncertainty analysis in the National Inventory Report to account for uncertainty per source category, as well as the total uncertainty of their national inventory.
Section (1.7) of the annual EU GHG inventory report considers the uncertainty evaluation, describing the methodology used to estimate it. The results suggest that the uncertainty level in the EU is about 6 % for total GHG emissions (including LULUCF).
Total EU-28 GHG emission trends are likely to be more accurate than individual absolute annual emission estimates, because the annual values are not independent of each other. The IPCC suggests that the uncertainty in total GHG emission trends is approximately 4-5 %. For the EU, the trend uncertainty is estimated to be close to 1 %. Total GHG emission estimates are quite reliable and the limited number of interpolations used to build the indicator do not introduce much uncertainty at the EU level.
Uncertainties in the projections of GHG emissions can be significant but have not been assessed.
The IPCC AR4 emphasizes that:
Words in bold represent calibrated expressions of uncertainty and confidence. Relevant terms are explained in the Box 'Treatment of uncertainty' in the introduction to the AR4 Synthesis Report. In particular, 'very likely' corresponds to a probability of occurrence higher than 90 %. This uncertainty in specific outcomes is assessed using expert judgment and statistical analysis of a body of evidence (e.g. observations or model results).
The high confidence in the responsibility of anthropogenic GHG emissions for the warming of the climate system re-emphasizes the relevance of monitoring and assessing GHG emissions trends in Europe.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/greenhouse-gas-emission-trends-7/assessment or scan the QR code.
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