Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Italy Drop by 26% Compared to 1990, but the Transport Sector Remains Critical

The adoption of renewable sources and the increase in energy efficiency favor the reduction of CO2 emissions in Italy. In fact, according to the latest National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions published by ISPRA, in 2023 greenhouse gas emissions in Italy recorded a significant reduction of 26% compared to 1990 levels, reaching 385 million tons of CO2 equivalent.

Compared to 2022, the decrease was 6.8%, an improvement attributed to the increase in energy efficiency, the growing use of renewable sources and the transition to low-carbon fuels in industrial sectors.

However, the transport sector remains a critical area, with CO2 emissions up 7% since 1990, mainly caused by road transport, which is responsible for over 90% of emissions in the sector. Despite European directives, road transport emission levels have remained constant since 2014, contributing to exceeding the maximum permitted ceiling, which in 2023 reached 8.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Key sectors for CO2 emissions

ISPRA data shows that transport accounts for 28% of total national emissions, followed by energy production (21%), the residential sector (18%) and manufacturing (13%). These sectors contribute to more than half of national greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2023, the decline in emissions in the energy sector was driven by a significant reduction in manufacturing and construction industries (-45.2%) and in energy industries (-47.3%). This occurred despite an increase in total energy production, which rose from 216.9 TWh to 264.7 TWh, and an increase in electricity consumption, which rose from 218.7 TWh to 287.4 TWh.

Failure to contain emissions in transport represents a key challenge for meeting the objectives set by the European Effort Sharing regulation, which requires a 43.7% reduction compared to 2005 levels for emissions from non-ETS sectors (transport, residential, agriculture, waste and industry). In 2021, 2022 and 2023, Italy exceeded the maximum permitted ceilings, respectively of 5.5 MtCO2eq, 5.4 MtCO₂eq and 8.2 MtCO₂eq.

Despite progress in the industrial and energy sectors, ISPRA data highlight the urgency of targeted interventions to reduce emissions in transport and ensure that key sectors contribute to achieving European and global climate goals. The challenge now focuses on balancing innovation, sustainability and effective strategies to accelerate the path to climate neutrality.

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(Featured image by Alexey Demidov via Pexels)

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First published in ESG NEWS. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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