Climate · emissions beyond borders
Since 2021, Lithuania has caused more emissions abroad than at home
Emissions from Lithuanian consumption are falling, as long as they happen in Lithuania. The emissions in factories, power plants and fields elsewhere, for goods, food and buildings, are falling in one model and rising in another. Lithuania's Law on Climate Change Management doesn't count them.
- The footprint of Lithuania is 23–65 percent higher than official emissions according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). Exactly how much depends on the model.
- 58–63 percent of the footprint arises abroad (2022), against 44–56 percent in 2010. Since 2021 it has been more than half in every model.
- Official emissions fell by 9 percent between 2010 and 2022, while the footprint came out differently per model (−13 to +17 percent).
- Per person, Lithuania causes 7.7 tonnes, less than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes (rank 21 of 27, Eurostat 2023). Between 2010 and 2019 the footprint fell by 18 percent, faster than in most EU countries; between 2019 and 2023 it fell by 10 percent, faster than in most EU countries.
- Outside Lithuania, most emissions for Lithuanian consumption are released in Russia, Poland and China.
- Lithuania imports more emissions than it exports: 1–5 megatonnes net in 2022. Since 2010, what it earns from foreign demand grew by 88 percent (real); the emissions for it rose by 71 percent.
In short
Emissions caused by Lithuanian consumption and investment, by location
The official figure and the footprint
The figure in the news is emissions on Lithuanian territory, according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). It fell by 9 percent between 2010 and 2022. The footprint came out differently per model: −13 to +17 percent. The official figure counts emissions for what is exported, but not for what is imported.
Lithuania compared with the other EU countries
Per person, Lithuania causes 7.7 tonnes of greenhouse gas (Eurostat, 2023), less than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes, rank 21 of 27.
Checked from space
Satellites measure how much methane hangs in the air. From that, scientists can work back to how much a country emits. That puts an independent measurement next to the official figures.
Where the emissions occur
For Lithuanian consumption, most emissions abroad occur in Russia, followed by Poland, China and Germany. Pick a year or play the timeline. Click a country to see how it changed since 2010.
Who Lithuania emits for
In 2022, 14 megatonnes of greenhouse gases were released in Lithuania for consumption and investment in other countries. Meanwhile, 15–19 megatonnes were released elsewhere for Lithuanian consumption. That makes Lithuania a net importer of emissions: 1–5 megatonnes more are released elsewhere for Lithuania 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.