Greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands were 7% higher in the first quarter of 2025 than in the same period the previous year, mainly due to a sharp increase in emissions by the electricity sector.

That sector alone emitted 40% more greenhouse gasses than in the first three months of 2024, according to preliminary figures from national statistics agency CBS and public health institute RIVM.

Total emissions amounted to 43.4 megatonnes of CO2-equivalent gases, up from 40.5 megatonnes in early 2024. Carbon dioxide accounted for the bulk of the increase, while emissions of other greenhouse gases remained unchanged.

Energy companies emitted more in early 2025 because less electricity was imported from neighbouring countries, particularly Belgium and Germany, and more was exported. At the same time, wind conditions were weaker than the year before, leading to lower production from renewable sources.

Emissions from the built environment, including homes and offices, were 7% higher than in the first quarter of 2024, due to increased demand for heating.

The mobility sector saw a 5% decrease in emissions. This was partly down to the switch to electric and hybrid cars and a decline in diesel sales, the CBS said.