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The indicator shows the trend in total greenhouse gas emissions, excluding those from the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector. For comparison, two index lines (1990 value = 100) are included: the first refers to country specific emissions, while the second expresses total EU emissions.
In Hungary, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions decreased significantly from 94.9 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) in 1990 to 54.3 Mt CO2eq in 2023. Hungary had committed to a 40 % reduction by 2030 compared with 1990 (the base year), and this target was achieved by 2023. Emissions per capita in Hungary are lower than the EU average. The decrease in GHG emissions was caused by, inter alia, the decline of heavy industry, the increasing use of renewable energy, the modernisation of the chemical industry and the decreasing consumption of fossil fuels. The emission trend was also related to the effects of 2007–2008 global financial crisis and subsequent 2007–2013 economic crises.
In 2022, economic activities accounted for 75 % of GHG emissions in Hungary. Households were responsible for the rest, with a significant portion coming from heating, cooling and car use. Most GHGs are emitted during the production and use of energy. Similar to EU trends, GHG emissions from transport are on the rise, due to the expansion of the vehicle fleet and road freight transport.
Hungary’s national energy and climate plan aims to further reduce GHG emissions, including through the decarbonisation of the energy industry, the greening of industry and transport and the increase in energy efficiency measures.
References and footnotes
- a b cHungaroMet, National Inventory Report for 1985–2022 – Hungary, Budapest, 2024, accessed 2 July 2025, https://legszennyezettseg.met.hu/storage/media/kibocsatas-oldalak/HU_NIR_2024may.pdf.
- a bHungarian Central Statistical Office, ‘Climate indicators in Hungary – Greenhouse gas emissions of the national economy by major branch of the national economy’, Hungarian Central Statistical Office website, accessed 2 July 2025, https://www.ksh.hu/s/helyzetkep-2023/#/kiadvany/klimaindikatorok-magyarorszagon/a-nemzetgazdasag-uveghazhatasugaz-kibocsatasa-jelentosebb-nemzetgazdasagi-agankent.
- ↵Hungarian Central Statistical Office, ‘Sustainable development indicators – Greenhouse gas emissions’, Hungarian Central Statistical Office website, accessed 2 July 2025, https://ksh.hu/s/kiadvanyok/fenntarthato-fejlodes-indikatorai-2023/3-38.
- ↵Government of Hungary, National Energy and Climate Plan – 2024 update, Budapest, 2024, accessed 2 July 2025, https://commission.europa.eu/publications/hungary-final-updated-necp-2021-2030-submitted-2024_en.