Sustainability Briefing — 13 August 2026
The EU's power sector keeps decarbonising, but new EEA analysis shows heavy industry's emission cuts have plateaued and protein production remains a diversification opportunity yet to be seized. Together, the day's findings point to uneven progress across Europe's economy, with electricity outpacing industry and agriculture on the path to lower emissions.
EU power generation continues to get cleaner, EEA indicator shows
The European Environment Agency reports that the greenhouse gas intensity of EU electricity generation has kept falling in line with recent decades. <cite index="49-3">Generating one kilowatt hour emitted 11% less on average in 2024 than in 2023, and 41% less than a decade ago</cite>, which the EEA attributes to less coal use, more renewables and a more efficient generation mix.
Emission cuts in energy-intensive industry have stalled, EEA finds
A new EEA briefing finds that <cite index="41-2,41-3">emissions from Europe's energy-intensive industries have fallen sharply over the past two decades but progress has stalled, and further reductions will require deeper industrial transformation alongside full implementation of existing EU environmental legislation</cite>. <cite index="41-5,41-6">These sectors account for around 27% of EU industrial greenhouse gas emissions, and the external costs of their pollution remain high at around €73 billion per year</cite>.
EEA: diversifying protein supply could cut emissions and import reliance
An EEA report argues that <cite index="53-1,53-2">broadening the range of proteins Europe produces and consumes could strengthen food security, improve resilience, enhance competitiveness and reduce environmental pressures, with benefits depending on treating protein diversification as a deliberate, long-term strategy</cite>. <cite index="51-4">The report frames this not as a rapid replacement for livestock production, but as a gradual rebalancing of supply and consumption alongside continued efforts to improve livestock sustainability</cite>.