EU: Greenhouse gas emissions to decline in 2024, but refrigeration remains an important driver

In 2024, greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union were estimated at around 3.3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, a decrease of around 1% compared to 2023 and around 20% compared to 2013 levels. This result signals progress on the path to decarbonising the EU economy , but also the need to further strengthen efforts in the coming years to meet the climate targets set for 2030 and beyond.

The impact of refrigeration and energy consumption

Within the overall emission reduction framework, some sectoral trends show how energy system efficiency plays a key role. Even in the HVAC/R sector, more efficient refrigeration technologies and the responsible use of refrigerant gases can help mitigate the Union's overall emissions footprint.

In particular, the aspects that influence the emission impact of the refrigeration sector can be summarised as follows:

• Reducing system electricity consumption : Highly efficient refrigeration systems reduce the energy required for refrigeration cycles, helping to reduce indirect emissions related to electricity production.
• Choosing low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants : Using natural fluids or low GWP blends helps reduce direct emissions associated with refrigerant losses during operation and maintenance.
• Integration with renewable sources and heat recovery systems : the combination with renewable generation (e.g. photovoltaics) and the recovery of waste heat in industrial processes can make cooling systems more sustainable from an emissions perspective.
• Intelligent control and automation : Digitalization and advanced control systems optimize cooling cycles, reducing energy waste and improving overall operational efficiency.

These solutions are not just technical, but constitute real operational levers to align the refrigeration sector with the decarbonisation trends underway in the EU.

Towards the climate goals of the future

The 20% drop in emissions recorded in 2024 compared to 2013 shows that the European Union is partially succeeding in decoupling economic growth and emissions, but the range of challenges remains vast.

For the HVAC/R sector, this means not only complying with the efficiency requirements of regulations, but also actively contributing to the energy transition with higher-performance systems and refrigerant choices that reduce the systems' direct and indirect climate impact. Investing in low-GWP technologies, intelligent monitoring, and integrated solutions remains crucial to further reducing the sector's emissions footprint and supporting EU climate mitigation goals.