International. The European Environment Agency has published its annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2016 and the 2018 inventory report. The report shows a 0.6% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions (-27 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent) between 2015 and 2016 for a total of 4.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Since 1990, the EU has reduced its net GHG emissions by 24% (-1,356 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent), exceeding its 20% reduction target by 2020.
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The European Union (EU), as a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), reports annually on greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories for the years between 1990 and the current calendar year. The report is the European Union's official inventory submission for 2018 under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol (KP).
Reduction
The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the 26-year period was due to a variety of factors, including increasing participation in the use of renewable energy, the use of less carbon-intensive fuels, and improvements in energy efficiency.
As far as industrial sectors are concerned, lower emissions are explained by greater efficiency and carbon intensity, as well as structural changes in the economy, with a higher proportion of services and a lower share of the most energy-intensive industry in total GDP.
Energy demand to heat homes has also been lower, as Europe, on average, has experienced milder winters since 1990, which has also helped reduce emissions.
In the "commercial/institutional" category there has been a decrease in emissions.
Increase
The report shows that two sectors increased emissions between 1990 and 2016:
- Road transport: 163 million tonnes (CO2 equivalents)
- Refrigeration and air conditioning: 97 million tons (CO2 equivalent)
Source: Eurovent.
