In 2023, the EU imported €19.7 billion worth of solar panels, €3.9 billion of liquid biofuels, and €0.3 billion worth of wind turbines from extra-EU countries.
In the first quarter of 2024, the EU economy's greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 894 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents.
In 2022, hard coal for the first time was overtaken by solar energy in electricity generation in the EU.
In 2023, 1.5 million new battery-only electric passenger cars were registered in the EU, raising the total to 4.5 million.
In 2023, renewable energy emerged as the leading source of electricity in the EU, accounting for 44.7% of total electricity production.
Sweden led the way when it came to renewables in heating and cooling, with a 69.3% share, followed by Estonia (65.4%).
Wind and hydropower collectively accounted for over two-thirds of the total renewable electricity generated (37.5% and 29.9% respectively).
In 2022, Romanians were in last place in the European Union in terms of municipal waste production and recycling, according to data published by Eurostat.
In 2022, the share of renewables in transport reached 9.6% at the EU level.
Romania was among the EU states with a high share of renewable energy sources in 2022.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by the economic activities of resident units in the European Union last year stood at 3.6 billion tons of CO2 equivalent.
From parcels for online purchases to coffee-to-go cups, packaging is almost everywhere.
In 2021, around 131 kilograms (kg) of food per inhabitant have been wasted in the EU, according to Eurostat.
In the first quarter of 2023, greenhouse gas emissions generated by the economy of the European Union totaled 941 million tons of CO2 equivalent, a decrease of 2.9% compared to the same period in 2022 (969 million tons of CO2 equivalent), shows data published by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat).
In 2021, the source that contributed the most to the EU's primary energy production was renewable energy, respectively 41% of the total energy production in the European Union. In the case of Romania, the main sources of energy in 2021 were natural gas (32.3%), renewable energy (26.7%), solid fuels (14.5%), crude oil (14.1%), and nuclear energy (12.5%).
In absolute terms, the production of electricity from renewable energy sources increased by almost 5% from 2020 to 2021.
The European Union has reached a provisional agreement to reduce the scope and stringency of two major ESG regulatory frameworks: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
Lidl Romania has published its eighth sustainability report for the 2024 financial year, announcing accelerated progress in reducing environmental impact. The retailer has achieved its international 2030 target for transitioning to natural refrigerants, with these now used in 100% of logistics centres and 81.7% of stores, compared to the original goal of 100% of logistics centres and 40% of stores. The company has also increased its green energy usage to 80% of total consumption.
Global law firm Dentons has advised OX2 on acquiring three wind power projects totaling 235 MW in Romania from Future Power. The projects, located in Vaslui and Vrancea counties, are expected to be commissioned between 2028 and 2030, subject to permitting.
Romania is emerging as a key destination for Turkish renewable energy investments, attracting growing interest from industrial and financial groups. Real grid connection opportunities for projects, infrastructure modernisation potential, and investment framework stability make Romania strategic for Turkish capital as Europe accelerates its transition to sustainable sources and energy independence.
51% of Romanian entrepreneurs see sustainability as a way to reduce operational costs, yet the same proportion say implementation is too expensive, according to a new study by BRD Groupe Société Générale. Conducted among micro and small-to-medium enterprises, the research outlines how Romanian entrepreneurs perceive the opportunities and challenges of transitioning to sustainable business models.
