Ever wondered how much CO2 is emitted by cars or whether electric vehicles really are a cleaner alternative? 

Transport was responsible for about a quarter of the EU’s total CO2 emissions in 2019, of which 71.7% came from road transportation, according to a report from the European Environment Agency.    

Transport emissions on the rise

Transport is the only sector where greenhouse gas emissions have increased in the past three decades, rising 33.5% between 1990 and 2019.

Conclusion:  Cars major polluters

Road transport accounts for about a fifth of EU emissions.

CO2 emissions from passenger transport varies significantly depending on the transport mode. Passenger cars are a major polluter, accounting for 61% of total CO2 emissions from EU road transport.

Evolution of CO2 emissions in the EU by sector (1990-2019)

Transport emissions on the rise

Transport is the only sector where greenhouse gas emissions have increased in the past three decades, rising 33.5% between 1990 and 2019.

Breakdown of CO2 emissions in the transportation sector worldwide 2020, by subsector  

The global transportation sector is a major polluter and in 2020 produced approximately 7.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Passenger cars were the biggest source of emissions that year, accounting for 41 percent of global transportation emissions.