Released April 23, 2025 | GALWAY, IRELAND
en
Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Changes in Europe's power mix were largely responsible for a 5% drop in the European's Union's (EU's) carbon emissions in 2024.
The reduction over 2023 recorded by those sectors monitored by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) means that emissions are now about 50% below 2005 levels and put the Union on track to achieve the 2030 target of a 62% reduction. The ETS covers more than 10,000 industrial and power installations and airlines operating flights in and between airports across the 27 EU Member States and a few non-EU countries in Europe. Heralded as the cornerstone of EU climate policy, it aims to reduce emissions by pricing greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from the power, heavy industry, aviation and, from 2024, maritime sectors, which together account for roughly 40% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. A new emissions trading system, called ETS2, has been created to cover emissions from buildings, road transport and additional sectors and will be introduced in 2027.
"The most important driver for the decrease in EU ETS emissions has been the power sector, with emissions from electricity production having been reduced by 12% below 2023 levels," the European Commission (EC) stated. "This reduction is due to an increase in electricity production from renewables by 8% and nuclear by 5%, coupled with a decrease in gas by 8% and coal by 15%. The main drivers of the increased electricity production from renewables have been solar (by an impressive 19%) and hydropower. Wind-generated power remained steady in spite of less favourable weather conditions in certain periods of the year. The total production of electricity also remained consistent, with levels similar to 2023."
With regard to energy intensive industries, the EC noted that emissions "continued to be on average stable" but that there were notable differences between some sectors. Emissions in the fertilizer sector increased by 7% while emissions in the cement sector decreased by 5%. The changes were put down to changes in production volumes. The fertilizer sector is partly recovering, the Commission stated, growing its production by 6% in 2024, while the cement sector experienced a 5% reduction in production.
Emissions from the aviation sector covered by the ETS rose compared to 2023 by around 15%, in part due to the broadening of geographical coverage (re-inclusion of non-domestic flights to and from airports in outermost regions). The maritime sector is the latest addition to the ETS and made its first report this year. The sector represents 3% to 4% of the EU's total CO2 emissions. The Commission said that the figures were influenced by the impacts of last year's Red Sea crisis on maritime traffic. It covers emissions from large passenger or goods ships of more than 5,000 tonnes. By 2027, it will include vessels of a similar size engaged in offshore activities such as oil and gas exploration or maritime construction.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The reduction over 2023 recorded by those sectors monitored by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) means that emissions are now about 50% below 2005 levels and put the Union on track to achieve the 2030 target of a 62% reduction. The ETS covers more than 10,000 industrial and power installations and airlines operating flights in and between airports across the 27 EU Member States and a few non-EU countries in Europe. Heralded as the cornerstone of EU climate policy, it aims to reduce emissions by pricing greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from the power, heavy industry, aviation and, from 2024, maritime sectors, which together account for roughly 40% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. A new emissions trading system, called ETS2, has been created to cover emissions from buildings, road transport and additional sectors and will be introduced in 2027.
"The most important driver for the decrease in EU ETS emissions has been the power sector, with emissions from electricity production having been reduced by 12% below 2023 levels," the European Commission (EC) stated. "This reduction is due to an increase in electricity production from renewables by 8% and nuclear by 5%, coupled with a decrease in gas by 8% and coal by 15%. The main drivers of the increased electricity production from renewables have been solar (by an impressive 19%) and hydropower. Wind-generated power remained steady in spite of less favourable weather conditions in certain periods of the year. The total production of electricity also remained consistent, with levels similar to 2023."
With regard to energy intensive industries, the EC noted that emissions "continued to be on average stable" but that there were notable differences between some sectors. Emissions in the fertilizer sector increased by 7% while emissions in the cement sector decreased by 5%. The changes were put down to changes in production volumes. The fertilizer sector is partly recovering, the Commission stated, growing its production by 6% in 2024, while the cement sector experienced a 5% reduction in production.
Emissions from the aviation sector covered by the ETS rose compared to 2023 by around 15%, in part due to the broadening of geographical coverage (re-inclusion of non-domestic flights to and from airports in outermost regions). The maritime sector is the latest addition to the ETS and made its first report this year. The sector represents 3% to 4% of the EU's total CO2 emissions. The Commission said that the figures were influenced by the impacts of last year's Red Sea crisis on maritime traffic. It covers emissions from large passenger or goods ships of more than 5,000 tonnes. By 2027, it will include vessels of a similar size engaged in offshore activities such as oil and gas exploration or maritime construction.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
