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The EU is still on track to achieve its 2030 climate targets, according to the latest annual progress review published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The ‘Trends and Projections in Europe’ report shows emissions fell by 1.6% in 2025, according to preliminary figures. However, the pace of reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions slowed in 2025, highlighting how crucial it is to fully implement EU and national mitigation plans to reach the net 55% reduction target by 2030. 

The EU's 2030 climate target is increasingly a question of delivery rather than direction, according to the EEA Trends and Projections report. When additional planned policies and measures are considered, the EU is projected to reduce its 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels by net 54% by 2030, bringing the EU within reach of its legally binding 55% target. 

However, turning plans into real-world emissions reductions will require a full and timely implementation of planned policies and measures. To reach the target, emissions reductions in Effort Sharing Regulation sectors over the next five years will need to match those achieved over the previous two decades combined.  Progress remains particularly challenging in end-use sectors such as transport, buildings and agriculture, where behavioural change and household investment decisions play a key role in reducing emissions.  

Trends and projections in Europe 2026
Trends and projections in Europe 2026

Reducing emissions brings wider benefits

In 2025, net EU greenhouse gas emissions under the scope of the European Climate Law dropped by 39% below 1990 levels, confirming that the EU has made significant progress driven by the transformation of its energy system, technological innovation, and societal change.  

This drop also came while gross domestic product and populations grew by 74% and 8% respectively over the same period, showing that sustained economic and demographic growth can go hand in hand with deep emissions cuts. 

At the same time, climate action, energy security, and competitiveness are increasingly converging objectives: reducing fossil fuel dependence is becoming a prerequisite for Europe's long-term economic resilience and industrial strength. 

According to preliminary data for 2025, we witnessed an increase in the net carbon sink under LULUCF, equivalent to 25MtCO2e, compared to the previous year. The industrial sector also showed significant emission reductions of -15MtCO2e compared to 2024.  

Year-on-year greenhouse gas emissions increased in both domestic transport (+0.3%) and buildings (+0.8%), two sectors where renewable energy sources continues to lag behind at 12 and 27 per cent, respectively, of gross final energy consumption, versus 50% of energy production in the power sector.  

Carbon pricing continues to drive emissions reductions 

Since 2005, the annual rate of EU total greenhouse gas emission reductions more than doubled, reflecting stronger climate policy and the growing impact of the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS). Emissions from EU ETS sectors have fallen substantially faster than those regulated primarily through national measures under the Effort Sharing Regulation framework. 

Delivering on the next phase of the transition 

The report highlights that the next phase of Europe's transition will increasingly depend on accelerating emission reductions in transport, buildings, agriculture and industry, where progress has generally been slower than in the power sector. These developments underline the importance of implementing additional policies and measures (PaMs) that target ESR sectors at both the EU and national level to meet the EU′s 2030 climate target. 

Background  

The EU aims to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent. The European Climate Law (ECL), adopted in 2021 and amended in 2026, established legally binding targets to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and 90% by 2040, compared with 1990 levels, and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest.  

The EEA’s Trends and projections in Europe report explores historical trends, recent progress and projected future progress on climate change mitigation through reduced greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy gains and improved energy efficiency. It builds on data reported by the EU-27 Member States, five EEA member countries and nine Contracting Parties of the Energy Community. 

The EEA report supports the European Commission’s Climate Action Progress Report, which shows progress towards the EU's emission reduction targets, covering actual (historic) emissions and projected future emissions for the EU as a whole and for every EU Member State. It also includes information on different climate policy areas, EU legislative progress, climate finance and adaptation.  

EEA's climate and energy products   

Updated climate and energy indicators   

Datasets  

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