EU Carbon Intensity Benchmarks
Compare carbon intensity across EU industries.
What is Carbon Intensity?
Carbon intensity measures greenhouse gas emissions relative to economic output, expressed as tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per million euros of revenue (tCO₂e/€M). Unlike absolute emissions, carbon intensity allows fair comparison between companies and industries of different sizes. A declining carbon intensity means an industry is becoming more efficient at producing economic value while generating fewer emissions.
EU-Wide Progress
-39%
Decline in EU average carbon intensity from 2015 to 2024
Highest Intensity
Energy & Utilities sector leads with the highest carbon intensity across the EU
Lowest Intensity
Financial Services and IT sectors have the lowest carbon intensity
Nordic Leadership
Nordic countries consistently rank among the lowest carbon intensity in Europe
EU Carbon Intensity Trend (2015-2024)
Average carbon intensity across all industries in the EU
Carbon Intensity by Industry
Highest Intensity Industries
Lowest Intensity Industries
Carbon Intensity by Country (2024)
Average carbon intensity across all industries per EU member state
Explore Industries
Select any industry to view its detailed carbon intensity trend over the past decade
Select an industry above to view its carbon intensity trend
Methodology & Data Sources
Carbon intensity data is sourced from Eurostat’s environmental accounts, specifically the air emissions accounts by NACE Rev. 2 activity. Data covers greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, HFCs, PFCs, SF₆, NF₃) from 2015-2024 for all 27 EU member states.
Carbon intensity is calculated as total greenhouse gas emissions (in tonnes CO₂ equivalent) divided by gross value added (in million EUR at current prices). This metric allows meaningful comparison across industries and countries of different sizes.
Industries are classified according to the NACE Rev. 2 statistical classification of economic activities. Some industry categories have been grouped for clarity (e.g., "Energy & Utilities" combines electricity, gas, and water supply sectors).