Cyprus increased its greenhouse gas emissions by 8.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, despite economic growth of 3 per cent, according to Eurostat.

This was the third-largest rise in the EU, after Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.

Across the bloc, the economy is estimated to have generated 900 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in the first quarter, up 3.4 per cent from 871 million tonnes in the same period last year.

EU GDP grew by 1.2 per cent over the same timeframe.

Eurostat reported that the two sectors contributing most to the EU-wide increase were electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply (up 13.6 per cent) and households (up 5.6 per cent).

Three sectors recorded declines: manufacturing (-0.2 per cent), transport and storage (-2.9 per cent), and agriculture, forestry and fishing (-1.4 per cent).

Between January and March 2025, greenhouse gas emissions rose in 20 EU member states, while only seven reported declines. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Poland, Hungary and Greece all posted increases of more than 5 per cent.

The largest reductions were in Malta (-6.2 per cent), Finland (-4.4 per cent) and Denmark (-4.3 per cent). Of the seven countries with falling emissions, three also saw a drop in GDP – Estonia, Latvia and Luxembourg – while the other four (Denmark, Finland, Malta and Sweden) managed to reduce emissions while maintaining economic growth.