Dutch greenhouse gas emissions dropped 5% in Q1 of 2026

The Netherlands emitted less greenhouse gases in the first quarter of 2026 than a year earlier, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reported based on preliminary figures. In the first quarter of this year, greenhouse gas emissions were over 5 percent lower than in the same period in 2025.

The decline is primarily due to the electricity sector consuming less coal to produce electricity. In total, this sector’s greenhouse gas emissions were over 12.5 percent lower than a year earlier. Despite this, energy companies produced slightly more energy than a year earlier. It was windier than in the first quarter of 2025, causing wind turbines to generate more energy.

The industrial and mobility sectors also emitted fewer greenhouse gases. The industrial sector’s emissions fell by over 4 percent, mainly because the chemical industry produced less and therefore consumed less petroleum.

The decrease in the mobility sector is the result of rising fuel prices. Because refueling in the Netherlands was more expensive than in neighboring countries, more companies refueled across the border. Emissions from diesel or petrol bought abroad are not included in the figures for the Netherlands. The mobility sector’s emissions dropped by more than 5 percent.

In addition, 2026 started cold, but February and March were relatively mild, resulting in the first three months of this year being less cold than a year earlier. The Netherlands, therefore, used less heating. Adjusted for this weather effect, greenhouse gas emissions decreased by nearly 4 percent.