More greenhouse gasses emitted in Netherlands in first quarter

Greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands were 7 percent higher in the first quarter than in the same quarter of 2024, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the RIVM reported. The electricity sector was the main culprit, emitting 40 percent more greenhouse gases.

The electricity sector’s emissions were so much higher due to a combination of factors. The sector produced more electricity because less was imported and more was exported. In addition, renewable energy sources produced less than in the first quarter of 2024 because it was less windy. The energy companies also mainly used more coal to generate electricity, which causes more emissions than natural gas.

Emissions from the built environment were 7 percent higher than in the first quarter of last year. “The first three months of 2025 were mild, but less mild than the same months of 2024. As a result, more natural gas was needed to heat homes and buildings,” CBS said.

The mobility sector’s emissions decreased by 5 percent in the first quarter, mainly due to lower diesel sales. Road users in the Netherlands refueled abroad more because diesel is cheaper in Luxembourg and Germany. In addition, many companies replaced their diesel cars with electric vehicles due to cities’ environmental zones.

CBS and the RIVM recorded the above figures in accordance with guidelines from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). CBS also calculated CO2 emissions from all Dutch economic activities using its own method, which, unlike the IPCC’s method, includes the CO2 emissions from international aviation and maritime transport and emissions from the combustion of biomass by individuals and companies that belong to the Dutch economy.

According to CBS’s own calculations, the Dutch economy’s CO2 emissions were 7.7 percent higher in the first quarter of 2025 than a year earlier. The economy grew by 2.0 percent in the same period.

In these calculations, too, the increase in emissions was mainly due to energy companies burning more coal and households consuming more gas. The transport sector emitted 4.2 percent more CO2, while the added value to the economy grew by only 2.0 percent. The agriculture, mining, industry, and construction cluster’s CO2 emissions remained virtually the same, while the cluster’s added value grew by 3.6 percent.