Greenhouse gas emissions by country and sector (infographic)
Check out our infographics to discover greenhouse gas emissions by country and by sector in the EU as well as the world's top emitters.
Greenhouse gas emissions contribute to accelerating climate change. Who are the biggest emitters? What sector produces the most emissions?
Amount of greenhouse gas emissions per year in the EU
As the infographic shows, CO2 is the greenhouse gas that is emitted the most. It is commonly produced by human activities. Other greenhouse gases are emitted in smaller quantities, but they trap heat far more effectively than CO2. For example, methane is more than 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year period
Greenhouse gas emissions by sector in the EU
According to the sixth assessment report by the InterGovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from 2023, emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are responsible for about 1.1°C of warming since the beginning of the 20th century. These activities include for example the burning of coal, oil and gas, deforestation and farming.
The infographic shows greenhouse gas emissions in the EU in 2022 broken down by the sectors that are the main sources. Energy supply was responsible for 27.4% of the EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, while domestic transport accounted for 23.8%. Greenhouse gas emissions from industry were responsible for 20.3% of the emissions, residential and commercial activities - for 11.9% and agriculture for 10.8%.
Land use, land-use change and forestry help to reduce emissions as plants absorb carbon dioxide, for example. The positive impact of the sector amounted to 7% of the total emissions.
Greenhouse gases emissions in the EU and in the world
The infographic above lists EU countries by total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023 and the infographic below shows the world's top greenhouse gas emitters in 2023. The EU is the fourth biggest emitter behind China, the United State and India, followed by Russia and Brazil.
Greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for periods ranging from a few years to thousands of years. As such, they have a worldwide impact, no matter where they were first emitted.
What are greenhouse gases?
- Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that act similarly to the glass in a greenhouse: it absorbs the sun’s energy and heat that is radiated from the Earth’s surface, trap it in the atmosphere and prevent it from escaping into space.
- This process is the main reason for greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth’s temperature warmer than it would otherwise be, allowing life on Earth to exist
- Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, but human activity adds enormous amounts, boosting the greenhouse effect that is contributing to global warming
