Climate · emissions beyond borders
Cyprus cut its emissions at home by 12 to 13 percent, and abroad by 8 to 24 percent.
Emissions from Cypriot consumption are falling, as long as they happen in Cyprus. The emissions in factories, power plants and fields elsewhere, for goods, food and buildings, are falling too. Climate targets don't count them.
- The footprint of Cyprus is 40–61 percent higher than official emissions according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). Exactly how much depends on the model.
- 43–47 percent of the footprint arises abroad (2022), against 41–51 percent in 2010.
- Official emissions fell by 7 percent between 2010 and 2022; the footprint by 11–18 percent.
- Per person, Cyprus causes 10.5 tonnes, more than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes (rank 5 of 27, Eurostat 2023). Between 2010 and 2019 the footprint fell by 16 percent, faster than in most EU countries; between 2019 and 2023 it rose by 1 percent, while it fell in most EU countries.
- Outside Cyprus, most emissions for Cypriot consumption are released in Russia, China and Greece.
- Cyprus imports more emissions than it exports: 3–5 megatonnes net in 2022. Since 2010, what it earns from foreign demand grew by 81 percent (real); the emissions for it fell by 13 percent.
In short
Emissions caused by Cypriot consumption and investment, by location
The official figure and the footprint
The figure in the news is emissions on Cypriot territory, according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). It fell by 7 percent between 2010 and 2022. The footprint fell by 11–18 percent over the same years. The official figure counts emissions for what is exported, but not for what is imported.
Cyprus compared with the other EU countries
Per person, Cyprus causes 10.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas (Eurostat, 2023), more than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes, rank 5 of 27.
Where the emissions occur
For Cypriot consumption, most emissions abroad occur in Russia, followed by China, Greece and Türkiye. Pick a year or play the timeline. Click a country to see how it changed since 2010.
Who Cyprus emits for
In 2022, 2 megatonnes of greenhouse gases were released in Cyprus for consumption and investment in other countries. Meanwhile, 5–6 megatonnes were released elsewhere for Cypriot consumption. That makes Cyprus a net importer of emissions: 3–5 megatonnes more are released elsewhere for Cyprus than the other way round.
How we calculate
A footprint follows every euro that households, government and companies spend on final products back through the supply chain, to the country where the emissions occur. So-called input-output models do this, built on trade statistics and emission inventories from dozens of countries.