Overview Study on Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Romania

This study provides an overview of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Romania between 1970 and 2023, highlighting long-term trends, sectoral contributions, and their implications for climate policy. Using data from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR), annual values of CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, and F-gases were analysed across eight major anthropogenic sectors. Results show that Romania experienced a peak of approximately 280 MtCO₂eq in 1988, followed by a sharp decline after the political and economic transition in 1989. By 2023, emissions decreased to around 105 MtCO₂eq, representing a 62% reduction. This decline was largely driven by the restructuring of heavy industry, closure of inefficient energy facilities, and adoption of EU-aligned environmental policies. However, transport, agriculture, and waste sectors gained increasing relevance as industrial and power-related emissions fell. Despite progress, sustained challenges remain for achieving Romania’s climate neutrality targets by 2050, particularly in transport decarbonization, agricultural emissions control, and methane capture from waste management.