Data published by the European Environment Agency, which was updated in 2018, show that the EU has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 23.2% as against 1990, thereby registering a reduction of 4,392.00 MtCO2eq and reaching its lowest record in thirty years. In the same period, GDP has grown by 60%, marking a huge gap between the two variables.
This means that, to date, the EU accounts for about 8% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, it should be reminded that Europe bears the historic brunt of the ongoing climate crises, although it continues to emit 277 grams CO2eq for each euro generated by its economy. Over the last thirty years some countries have, of course, behaved better than others.
The new 2030 objectives presented by the EU Commission foresee a 50 to 55% reduction of greenhouse gases by 2030, to then reach zero net emissions by 2050, in order to reach the climate objectives set by the Paris Agreement. In other words, this means that over the next ten years Europe will have to make many more efforts than the ones shown over the past thirty years (source: Green Report).