Lower greenhouse gas emissions in Q2 2025

These are the most recent figures on this topic. View the previous figures here.
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Greenhouse gas emissions were over 3 percent lower in Q2 2025 than in Q2 2024. This was mainly because manufacturing and the built environment sector emitted less. However, emissions from the electricity sector were higher. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)/Emissions Register report this on the basis of provisional quarterly figures on GHG emissions, in accordance with the IPCC guidelines.

Lower emissions from manufacturing

The manufacturing sector emitted over 8 percent less greenhouse gases in Q2 2025 than a year earlier. The consumption of natural gas, petroleum products and coal by manufacturing was significantly lower than in Q2 2024. The contribution of manufacturing to total greenhouse gas emissions decreased from over 36 percent in Q2 2024 to nearly 35 percent in Q2 2025.

Emissions from the built environment were also lower

Emissions by the built environment sector were 16.5 percent lower in Q2 2025. April, in particular, was warmer than April 2024. Consequently, less natural gas was needed to heat homes and buildings. The sector's contribution to total emissions is smaller than that of manufacturing, and declined from over 7 percent in Q2 2024 to over 6 percent in Q2 2025.

Smaller drop in emissions from mobility and agriculture

The mobility and agriculture sectors each emitted 2 percent less greenhouse gases in Q2 2025 than they did in Q2 2024. The decrease is smaller than in manufacturing and the built environment sector. In the mobility sector, road traffic consumed less diesel, while in agriculture, combined heat and power plants consumed less natural gas. The contributions of these sectors to emissions were virtually the same as in Q2 2024, at nearly 23 percent for mobility and over 18 percent for agriculture.

Emissions from the electricity sector were higher

In Q2 2025, the electricity sector emitted over 9 percent more greenhouse gases than in Q2 2024. Electricity exports were higher than a year earlier, while less electricity was imported. To generate more electricity, more fossil fuels, especially coal, were also consumed. The electricity sector's contribution to total emissions was nearly 15 percent in Q2 2025, compared to 13 percent in the same quarter of 2024.

CBS also calculates CO2 emissions from all domestic economic activities according to the national accounts. Compared to emissions according to the IPCC definitions, this also includes CO2 emissions from international air and sea transport and emissions from the combustion of biomass. In the news release below, CO2 emissions are described in accordance with the calculation method set out in the national accounts.

CO2 emissions from the Dutch economy over 4 percent lower

The Dutch economy emitted over 4 percent less CO2 in Q2 2025 than in Q2 2024, while gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.5 percent over the same period. The decrease in CO2 emissions was mainly due to lower usage of natural gas by households, the services sector and manufacturing, mainly the chemical and petroleum industry. The lower natural gas consumption is partly due to the relatively warm weather in the second quarter. After adjusting for weather conditions, the decline in CO2 emissions by the Dutch economy was 3.5 percent.

The electricity and transport sector emitted more CO2 than in Q2 2024. Mainly due to higher usage of coal, energy companies emitted 6 percent more CO2. Their value added grew by 4 percent.

The transport sector emitted 3 percent more CO2 , which was mainly due to higher emissions from aviation and maritime shipping. The value added of the transport sector remained virtually unchanged.

The calculations of CO2 emissions are a first estimate based on information available at that particular moment. Figures may change as a result of new statistical source information becoming available at a later stage.

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