One billion tonnes of CO2 avoided since 2005 in Europe: half due to energy-climate policies and half due to economic context

21 December 2013 - Climate Brief

By Olivier Gloaguen and Emilie Alberola

CO2 emissions generated by installations covered by the EU ETS decreased by 12.3 % since 2005, i.e a decline by 2.6% per year during Phase 2 of the EU ETS while the emission cap increased by 1% per year.
The EU ETS ended Phase 2 with a surplus of 1,742 million of allowances. All sectors recorded an overall net surplus, except for the power generation and co-generation sectors.
Based on a “business-as-usual” scenario, we estimate that around 1.1 GtCO2 were avoided between 2005 and 2011: around 30% of the reduction was the result of a fall in manufacturing output, while around 60% of the reduction was caused by the development of renewable energy and the improvement of the energy intensity.

One billion tonnes of CO2 avoided since 2005 in Europe: half due to energy-climate policies and half due to economic context Download

To learn more

07/10/2026
Clean Industrial Transition Monitor: Moving to a clean industrial future in Europe

he Clean Industrial Transition Monitor by the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) assesses real-world progress using more than 50 indicators and provides a comprehensive and nuanced picture of both progress and remaining gaps.
07/08/2026
State of EU progress to climate neutrality – ECNO 2026 Flagship report

ECNO’s analysis is structured around 13 building blocks of the transition, tracking six-year trends across nearly 146 indicators, as well as the expected impact of climate-related public policies.
07/03/2026 Foreword of the week
The heat is on

It is hot in Europe. Very hot. And the summer has only just begun. The recent heat wave in large parts of Europe reminds us that the forthcoming European framework for climate resilience and risk assessment comes with high stakes: it is about the safety of populations and the competitiveness of the European economy.