Greenhouse gas emissions in Cyprus increased by 2% in 2025 compared with 2024, reaching 9.21 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to a report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), published on Monday.
The report was prepared in cooperation with the International Energy Agency (IEA). Compared with 1990, total emissions in Cyprus were 66% higher in 2025, while they remained essentially unchanged compared with 2005. Emissions stood at 9.199 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2005, compared with 9.210 million tonnes in 2025.
In 1990, emissions were estimated at 5.554 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, while in 2015 they stood at 8.415 million tonnes.
On a per-capita basis, emissions in 2025 amounted to 7.386 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, with the population used in the report’s calculations standing at 1.247 million people. Per-capita emissions were higher in 2005, at 8.951 tonnes, while in 1990 they stood at 7.245 tonnes.
Emissions per unit of GDP, measured in terms of purchasing power parity, stood in 2025 at 0.173 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per thousand dollars. The corresponding figures were 0.301 in 2005 and 0.346 in 1990.
As regards the composition of emissions in 2025, carbon dioxide accounted for 79.1% of the total, methane for 12.7%, fluorinated gases for 4.9% and nitrous oxide for 3.3%.
Compared with 2024, emissions from electricity generation, transport and buildings increased by 3%. Emissions from industrial combustion and industrial processes rose by 2%, while those from fuel production and agriculture increased by 1%. Emissions from waste remained unchanged.
Compared with 1990, the largest percentage increase among sectors was recorded in buildings, at 169%. This was followed by waste at 103%, electricity generation at 96% and transport at 76%. Emissions from industrial combustion and processes increased by 26%, and those from agriculture by 27%, while fuel production recorded a 91% decrease.
The trend in Cyprus was contrary to the overall picture in the European Union. Emissions from the 27 member states fell by 0.2% in 2025 compared with 2024, to 3.127 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, and were 35.6% below 1990 levels. The EU’s share of global emissions stood at 5.8%.
According to the report, 12 member states recorded an increase in their emissions in 2025 compared with the previous year. At EU level, the largest absolute reduction came from transport, where emissions fell by 0.9%, or 7.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Emissions from waste decreased by 1.7%, while they increased in buildings by 1% and in industrial combustion by 0.5%.
Source: CNA