Luxembourg is the second highest CO₂ emitter in the EU

According to the Eurostat report, the average carbon footprint of an EU resident in 2022 is 10.7 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent per year. However, among EU countries, the highest per capita emissions were recorded in Cyprus (16.6 tonnes), Luxembourg (15.5 tonnes) and Ireland (14.2 tonnes). At the same time, the lowest figures are in Sweden (7.9 tonnes), Portugal and Romania (8 tonnes each).

In 2022, the EU's total carbon footprint reached 4.8 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent, but emissions directly produced within the EU amounted to only 3.6 billion tonnes. This means that a significant proportion of emissions are associated with the consumption of goods and services produced outside Europe.

However, after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, emissions started to rise again: "EU carbon footprint increased by 12 % in 2022 and domestic emissions by 4 %. Nevertheless, they remain below the 2019 level.

Why does Luxembourg have such a high level of emissions?

Luxembourg has one of the highest CO₂ emissions per capita in the EU due to a number of factors. One of the key reasons is the high level of consumption, which requires significant imports of goods produced abroad using carbon-intensive technologies. The transport sector, including aviation and so-called "fuel tourism", where people from neighbouring countries come to Luxembourg to refuel because of lower prices, also contributes significantly to emissions.

The country's authorities are already implementing measures to reduce emissions. These include the active development of renewable energy sources, the introduction of a carbon tax and the modernisation of public transport. However, to date, these initiatives have not yet led to a significant reduction in the country's carbon footprint. Achieving climate goals will require further tightening of emissions policies and incentivising more sustainable consumption and travel patterns.