Climate · emissions beyond borders
Luxembourg causes more emissions abroad than at home
Emissions from Luxembourg consumption are falling, as long as they happen in Luxembourg. The emissions in factories, power plants and fields elsewhere, for goods, food and buildings, are falling in one model and rising in another. Luxembourg's Climate Law doesn't count them.
- The footprint of Luxembourg is 8–31 percent higher than official emissions according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). Exactly how much depends on the model.
- 65–74 percent of the footprint arises abroad (2022), against 58–71 percent in 2010. In every model that has been more than half since the figures begin.
- Official emissions fell by 32 percent between 2010 and 2022, while the footprint came out differently per model (−16 to +3 percent).
- Per person, Luxembourg causes 12.7 tonnes, more than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes (rank 2 of 27, Eurostat 2023). Between 2010 and 2019 the footprint fell by 10 percent, slower than in most EU countries; between 2019 and 2023 it fell by 7 percent, similar to most EU countries.
- Outside Luxembourg, most emissions for Luxembourg consumption are released in Germany, China and Poland.
- Whether Luxembourg is a net importer or exporter of emissions differs between models. Since 2010, what it earns from foreign demand grew by 40 percent (real); the emissions for it fell by 11 percent.
In short
Emissions caused by Luxembourg consumption and investment, by location
The official figure falls faster than the footprint
The figure in the news is emissions on Luxembourg territory, according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). It fell by 32 percent between 2010 and 2022. The footprint came out differently per model: −16 to +3 percent. The official figure counts emissions for what is exported, but not for what is imported.
Luxembourg compared with the other EU countries
Per person, Luxembourg causes 12.7 tonnes of greenhouse gas (Eurostat, 2023), more than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes, rank 2 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 Luxembourg consumption, most emissions abroad occur in Germany, followed by China, Poland and France. Pick a year or play the timeline. Click a country to see how it changed since 2010.
Who Luxembourg emits for
In 2022, 6–7 megatonnes of greenhouse gases were released in Luxembourg for consumption and investment in other countries. Meanwhile, 6–8 megatonnes were released elsewhere for Luxembourg consumption. Whether Luxembourg imports or exports more emissions depends on the model.
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.