The greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) responsible for global warming and climate change emissions fell by 5.5% in Spain in 2023. compared to 2022 and by 30.9% compared to 2008, the first since there have been data published this Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), which also indicates that the households are primarily responsible for of emissions, 22.9% of the total, above even the manufacturing industry (22.3%). Gas heaters and stoves or electricity generated with fossil fuels and not from renewable sources made the emissions caused by households emissions grew by 0.6% compared to the overall drop of 0.2%. between 2023 and 2022.
These data are part of the Atmospheric Emissions Accounts prepared by the INE on the emissions released by the different economic units. In total terms, in 2023 the following were emitted in Spaina 287.8 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent were emitted in Spain in 2023. (TCO2e), which is 5.5% less than in 2022. This represents a 30.9% less since the first time this analysis was performed.
By sector, the households were responsible for the largest portion of emissions and one of only two sectors in which they grew in 2023 compared to the previous year. They accounted for 65,784 TCO2e, a 22.9% of the total and 0.6% more than in 2022, although compared to 2008, they fell by 14.7%.
Nearly matching them, the manufacturing industry emitted 64,073 TCO2e, 22.3% of the total, but, in its case, in 2023 there was a decrease, 10.1% less compared to the previous year and up to 40.8% less if compared to 2008.
The other business entity in which emissions increased in 2023 is that of transportation and storage serviceswhich, with 65,784 TCO2e, registered an increase of 3.1% and represented 13.4% of the total.
The sectors that reduced them the most were the electricity supplygas, steam, air-conditioning and water – where we can infer a greater input of renewable energies -, which cut its emissions by 18.1% to 47,184 TCO2e, and the manufacturing industry, which, although it continues to account for a large part of emissions – second only to households -, cut emissions by 10.1%.
According to the INE, the agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing responsible for 16.6% of emissions with 47,640 TCO2e and 0.8% more than in 2022. The remaining branches of activity released 24,530 TCO2e into the atmosphere, 8.4% and 0.9% less than in 2022.
Mainly CO2
GHGs are different gases among which by far the main one emitted in Spain is CO2. carbon dioxide (CO2)which represents 80.5% of the total and also the largest share of the cut compared to 2022, 5.7%. This is followed by the methane (14.6% of the total, 1% less than in 2022), the nitrous oxide (3.6% of the total and 6.3% less than in 2022) and other greenhouse gases, which in 2023 accounted for 1.3% of the total and fell by 28% compared to the previous year.
On the other hand, the Atmospheric Emissions Account draws attention to “another environmental problem” with “detrimental effects on the environment and health” such as the addictive gasesthe precursor gases of tropospheric ozone and the particlesfine dust, which for example try to reduce measures on traffic.
In all three cases, in 2023 there was a drop -of 2.4%, 1.3% and 0.5%- in all three cases. respectively – and agriculture was the main sector for its emissions, followed by manufacturing and households.