The new findings mean the EU’s emissions have dropped 37 percent from 1990s levels. 

“We are on track to meet our 2030 targets to reduce emissions by at least 55 percent if this momentum is maintained,” European Commission spokesperson Tim McPhie said at a press conference. 

The energy sector drove the vast majority of last year’s emissions cuts, with renewable production surging at the expense of fossil fuels. Preliminary 2023 data shows renewable energy generated 44.7 percent of the EU’s electricity, ahead of fossil fuels at 32.5 percent and nuclear power at 22.8 percent.

An increase in lower-carbon heating systems and carbon sinks — natural or artificial areas that absorb carbon — also contributed to the drop.

Dwindling industrial output was another factor driving down emissions. The report said industrial emissions fell 6 percent in 2023, but noted that part of the drop was due to increased efficiency. It also said that while industrial production fell 2 percent compared to 2022, it still remained higher than in 2019 and 2021.