site.btaBulgaria Among EU Countries with Lowest Carbon Footprint per Capita in 2023

Bulgaria was among the European Union countries with the lowest carbon footprint per capita in 2023, according to the latest preliminary estimates from Eurostat.

In 2023, the carbon footprint of greenhouse gas emissions generated by goods and services consumed in the EU amounted to 9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per person, representing a decline of about 1 tonne compared with 2022 (10 tonnes). This indicator accounts for emissions produced along the supply chains of products consumed in the EU, including emissions embodied in imported goods and services.

Among EU member states, the smallest greenhouse gas emission footprints were recorded in Portugal (6.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per capita) and Bulgaria (6.8 tonnes), followed by Sweden and Romania (both 6.9 tonnes).

By contrast, the highest per-capita carbon footprints were reported in Cyprus (14.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per person), Ireland (14.0 tonnes), and Luxembourg (12.7 tonnes).

In 2023, the total carbon footprint of greenhouse gas emissions for all goods and services consumed in the EU reached 4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, while emissions generated by the production of goods and services within the EU amounted to 3.3 billion tonnes.

Between 2013 and 2023, greenhouse gas emissions linked to consumption and production in the EU declined by 12.9% and 18.6%, respectively. A significant drop in the carbon footprint was recorded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2023, emissions related to consumption had returned to the same level as in 2020, while production-related emissions had fallen further by an additional 3.5%.