Last year, GHG emissions fell to 37 percent below the 1990 level. In this period, emissions from all climate sectors had been reduced. For example, the manufacturing sector emitted less methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. Emissions from the electricity sector were also lower. Fossil fuels in particular, have been increasingly replaced by biomass, solar and wind energy since 2017.

The Dutch Climate Act sets an emissions target of 55 percent below the 1990 level by 2030. This amounts to a reduction of 125 megatons of CO₂ equivalent. Between 1990 and 2023, emissions fell by an average of 2.5 megatons each year, in 2024 this was 2 megatons. To achieve the target of the climate law, emissions must fall by an average of 7 megatons each year over the next six years.

Fewer emissions of greenhouse gases from the electricity sector

In 2024, GHG emissions from the electricity sector were 3 percent lower than in 2023. The decrease was mainly realized in the first half of the year, when more electricity was produced from solar and wind energy than the previous year. This meant that less natural gas and coal was needed. However, in the last quarter of 2024, emissions were higher than in Q4 of 2023. Emissions by the electricity sector need to decrease by 42 percent to achieve the sector’s target for 2030. The sector targets are indicative; too small a reduction in one sector can be compensated by an additional reduction in another sector.

Fewer emissions due to mobility

The emissions of the mobility sector in 2024 were 6 percent lower than in 2023. The decrease was particularly strong in the second quarter, because there was a peak in the consumption of diesel fuel in June 2023, which may have been related to the increase in excise duties on motor fuels which came into effect on 1 July 2023. The volume of electrically powered traffic also increased. The sector target for 2030 requires a further decrease of 27 percent in the next six years.

Higher greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing

Greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing sector were higher than in 2023. In relative terms, this increase was small (1.5 percent), but manufacturing had by far the largest share in total greenhouse gas emissions, at 33 percent. Manufacturing mainly burned more coal waste gases, because the blast furnaces were fully operational again after major maintenance in 2023. A decrease of 37 percent is needed to achieve the sector’s target for 2030.

CBS also calculates CO₂ emissions from all domestic economic activities according to the national accounts. Unlike emissions as defined by the IPCC, this also includes CO₂ emissions from international air and sea transport and emissions from biomass combustion. In the message below, CO₂ emissions are presented in accordance with the calculation method set out in the national accounts.

Fewer CO₂ emissions by the Dutch economy in 2024

In 2024, the Dutch economy emitted 1.5 percent less CO₂ than in 2023. Taking the weather conditions into account, the decrease in CO₂ emissions amounted to 1.6 percent. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.9 percent in 2024.

The decrease in CO₂ emissions was mainly due to lower usage of coal and natural gas by the electricity sector. In addition, emissions from households and other services were lower, mainly because of less consumption of petrol and diesel. However, these sectors consumed more natural gas than they did in 2023.

The transport sector also emitted less CO₂ than one year previously. This was mainly due to lower diesel consumption in inland shipping, maritime shipping and road transport. However, aviation emitted 4 percent more than in 2023.

In 2024, CO₂ emissions from mineral extraction, manufacturing and construction combined were virtually the same as one year previously. The chemical and basic metal industry emitted more CO₂, while emissions from the petroleum industry and other industries were lower.

CO₂ emission intensity of Dutch economy decreases less rapidly

Since 2016, the CO₂ intensity of the Dutch economy has decreased steadily. This means that the CO₂-efficiency of production processes continues to improve. The greenhouse gas intensity of the economy as a whole was over 34 percent lower in 2024 than it was in 2015. However, the emission intensity decreased less rapidly in 2024 than in the two previous years.