Climate change has been on the minds of scientists for some time, and the EU and the world have been stepping up their response for decades. For our part, in the EU, we have already reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 37 % since 1990 and have committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 through binding legislation. It seems like we are well on our way to a greener future, right? Not so fast. (More on climate.ec.europa.eu)

The document deals with the analysis of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU) by economic activity in the period 2012 to 2022. It focuses on how data from emission accounts can be used to understanding the relationship between emissions and the economic activities that generate them, and what insights can be gained by combining emissions data with economic indicators such as gross value added and employment.

Main trends in greenhouse gas emissions

Between 2012 and 2022 most economic activities in the EU have reduced their greenhouse gas emissionsThe exceptions were the sectors agriculture, construction and transport, which recorded relatively stable emissions.

• The most significant emission reduction (by more than 30 %) was achieved by suppliers of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning. This reduction was mainly due to the transition from coal-fired heat and electricity production to renewable energy sources.
• Emissions from households have also decreased, but to a lesser extent than economic producers. These emissions come mainly from heating and cooling homes, private vehicle transport and other energy consumption.
• IN transportation The steady increase in transport volumes, especially road freight transport, was offset by investments in low-carbon technologies.

Analysis of emissions in the context of the economy

The document emphasizes the importance decoupling economic activity from greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of achieving EU climate neutrality by 2050. Greenhouse gas emissions are compared with economic data such as gross value added and employment to identify areas where policy action is needed.

Greenhouse gas emission intensity, which expresses the amount of emissions per unit of gross value added, is reduced by 27 % between 2012 and 2022This reduction was due to a 15% decrease in emissions and an 18% increase in gross value added. The most significant reductions in emissions intensity were recorded in Malta, Ireland and Estonia.

The paper analyses in detail the case of Ireland, which has seen one of the most dramatic declines in emissions intensity. While emissions from agriculture in Ireland have increased slightly, gross value added in the sector has doubled over the decade, leading to a significant decline in emissions intensity.

Greenhouse gas emissions and employment

The document also analyses trends in greenhouse gas emissions. with regard to employment in various economic activities, with the aim of ensuring a just green transition.

Emission intensity relative to employment in the EU between 2012 and 2022 decreased by 20 %, representing a decrease from 10.6 kg to 8.4 kg of emissions per hour worked. The most significant improvements in this area were recorded in Malta, Estonia and Greece.

Data sources and context

The document is based on data from Eurostat's Emission Accounts (AEA), which are part of the System of Environmental Accounts. These accounts serve to integrating economic and environmental data to assess how the environment contributes to the economy and how economic activities affect the environment.

Greenhouse gas emissions include emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and fluorinated gases. Each greenhouse gas has a different potential to cause global warming and is used to compare them. global warming potential (GWP).

The document draws attention to differences between data from emission inventories and emission accountsWhile inventories attribute emissions to the place where they occur, emissions accounts attribute them to the country where the company that caused them is based.

The document also provides context for emission accounts within the broader framework of environmental accounts and highlights their importance for the implementation of EU environmental policies. (Spring , more on ec.europa.eu)

Welcome to the NOAA Carbon Cycle Greenhouse Gases group information website! The central site for global greenhouse gas monitoring and is in charge of operating the global air sampling network that continues to monitor the air we breathe.

December 8th 424.37 ppm

Safe concentration: 350 ppm

ppm – the number of particles of carbon dioxide per million particles of air.

More on gml.noaa.gov

The document identifies 36 major climate risks for Europe. These risks are classified into five categories: ecosystems, food, health, infrastructure (viac…)

The Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology will co-host the Global Tipping Points Conference in July 2025.

The conference aims to raise awareness and inspire action among researchers, policymakers and businesses about the importance of tipping points.

It will focus on the development of both negative and positive tipping points, covering topics from the local to the global level.

The program will explore how tipping points affect different regions, communities, sectors and supply chains, and discuss how to translate this knowledge into effective action. (More on euagenda.eu)

International negotiations are underway to create a global plastics treaty, which aims to combat plastic pollution. (viac…)

The document addresses EU industrial policy in the context of the transition to a climate-neutral economy. It highlights that EU industrial policy should support the transformation of the European economy towards a fair and prosperous society with a modern, efficient and competitive economy with no net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The document identifies two key aspects of industrial climate policy:

• Transformation of existing energy-intensive industries
• Development of clean technology value chains.

The authors argue that these two areas should be discussed together and that policies should unlock synergies between them. For example, traditional industries rely on key clean technologies to decarbonize (for example, to ensure sufficient green electricity), while cleantech players hope to find domestic early adopters to accelerate the deployment of innovative technologies.

The document further analyses the current state of transformation and competitiveness in EU industry in these two areas. It notes that EU industry has its strengths in both areas. For example, in the area of wind energy, the EU has more than 80 % of domestic production out of the total wind energy capacity deployed in the EU. In the case of solar energy, the paper suggests that instead of seeking market power in lower value-added subsectors, the EU should focused on building a leading position in the provision of engineering solutions, software and financial products.

The document identifies Several obstacles to successful industrial transformation, including uncertainty about public support, regulatory barriers and lack of access to capital.

The document further explores the EU industrial policy toolbox and identifies several shortcomings.

• Financial volumes are insufficient, especially compared to investment needs.
• Existing EU funds are not sufficiently accessible and are managed by risk-averse public institutions.
• The EU performs relatively well in R&D spending, but there is a large gap in supporting scale-up and deployment.
• The EU relies heavily on subsidies at the level of Member States, leading to efficiency losses and risks of political and economic fragmentation.

Based on these findings, the paper proposes a set of principles for EU industrial policy that should be aimed at addressing specific market failures. These principles include:

• Focusing on areas where industrial policy brings added value.
• Developing policies that address value chains and market integration.
• Designing and implementing support measures at EU level.
• Allocation of support through competitive mechanisms.
• Equipping policies with clear terms and sunset clauses.
• Integrating EU industrial policy into the strategy for outreach and diplomacy, bilateral cooperation and trade.

Finally, the document discusses the trade-offs that exist in achieving different industrial policy objectives, such as decarbonisation, competitiveness or security. The authors emphasise that The EU should focus on innovation, intelligently reduce risks and support job creation in clean technology value chains.

The document ends several recommendations for policymakers, such as the need for clearer priorities, better coordination at EU level and sufficient and reliable funding. Download the full document here.  Spring