Cyprus recorded the third-highest increase in greenhouse gas emissions among all European Union members in the first quarter of 2025, with an 8.38% surge compared to the same period last year. This significant rise places the nation among the top contributors to the bloc’s growing carbon footprint, according to new data released by Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office.
EU-Wide Emissions on an Upward Trend
The spike in Cyprus is part of a wider trend across the bloc. The EU’s total economy-wide emissions climbed by 3.4% to reach 900 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in Q1 2025. This increase in pollution occurred even as the EU’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew more modestly at 1.2% over the same period.
The primary drivers behind the EU-wide increase were the electricity, gas, and air conditioning supply sector, which saw a massive 13.6% jump in emissions, and households, which increased their output by 5.6%. In a positive development, key sectors like transportation (-2.9%), industry (-0.2%), and agriculture (-1.4%) recorded a decrease in emissions.
The European Scorecard
Cyprus was not alone in its upward trend; 20 of the 27 EU nations reported higher emissions in the first quarter of 2025. Significant increases of over 5% were also seen in Bulgaria, Czechia, Poland, Hungary, and Greece.
Conversely, seven countries managed to reduce their environmental impact. The sharpest declines were registered in Malta (-6.2%), Finland (-4.4%), and Denmark (-4.3%). Notably, four of the countries that cut emissions—Denmark, Finland, Malta, and Sweden—achieved these reductions while simultaneously growing their economies, demonstrating that economic growth can be decoupled from rising emissions.
Source: Stockwatch.com.cy