Spain leads EU in year-on-year greenhouse gas emission increases

Spain recorded the highest year-on-year increase in greenhouse gas emissions among European Union member states during the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2025. According to Eurostat data, the EU emitted 837.15 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent between January and March, representing a 1.2% decrease overall, even as the EU GDP grew by 0.8%.

The sector seeing the largest increase in emissions was the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning, which rose by 4.8%. Conversely, emissions from households, manufacturing industry, and transport and storage saw decreases of 1.3%, 0.6%, and 0.6%, respectively.

While the EU as a whole reduced emissions by 9.99 million tonnes during this period, Spain led the increases with an additional 2.00 million tonnes, followed by Sweden and Denmark. Significant decreases were noted in Germany, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria. Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain remain the highest total emitters, collectively accounting for 63.7% of the EU's total emissions.