Switzerland's greenhouse gas inventory

The greenhouse gas inventory contains comprehensive emissions statistics in accordance with the requirements of the UN Climate Convention. Switzerland's national and international reduction targets are assessed on this basis. The inventory details Switzerland's greenhouse gas emissions according to the territorial principle and provides a breakdown by gas, sector and individual emission source. It also contains information on greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation and navigation and the greenhouse gas balance of land use (soil, vegetation). The greenhouse gas inventory is updated annually in April with data from the year before last.

The greenhouse gas inventory contains a record of all greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland. In addition to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the use of fossil fuels, these include in particular those from industrial processes and waste incineration, as well as emissions of the other greenhouse gases methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and synthetic gases from a wide variety of sources. The greenhouse gas inventory also includes emissions from international aviation and navigation as well as the greenhouse gas balance of land use, i.e. greenhouse gas emissions and carbon fixation by soils and vegetation. The inventory follows the territorial principle (in the case of motor fuels, domestic sales rather than domestic consumption are taken into account) and therefore does not consider emissions resulting from the production of imported goods (including imported electricity). The emissions data reported in the greenhouse gas inventory are not corrected for weather conditions.

Reduction targets and target achievement review

The greenhouse gas inventory serves as the basis for reviewing Switzerland’s international and national reduction targets. Detailed information on the reduction targets and the target achievement review is available on the following page:

Strategy and climate policy targets

Data and publications on the current greenhouse gas inventory

Switzerland’s greenhouse gas inventory is updated annually in April with data from the year before last. The following data are based on the April 2025 inventory (next update: April 2026).

Evolution of Switzerland's greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 (April 2025) (XLSX, 441 kB, 15.04.2025)

Kenngrössen zur Entwicklung der Treibhausgasemissionen in der Schweiz (1990-2023) (PDF, 1 MB, 15.04.2025)Stand April 2025 (in German, also available in French)

Total greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland and breakdown by gas

Development in Switzerland’s total greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, broken down into the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4 and N2O as well as synthetic gases (excluding international aviation and navigation and excluding the greenhouse gas balance of land use).

Percentage shares of the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, N2O and synthetic gases in Switzerland’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 and today (excluding international aviation and navigation and excluding the greenhouse gas balance of land use).

Breakdown of Switzerland’s greenhouse gas emissions by sector

Development in greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland since 1990 by sector according to the CO2 Ordinance. The dashed line shows the emissions from industry, excluding waste incineration. Emissions from international aviation and navigation are not included in the figures for transport.

Breakdown of Switzerland's total greenhouse gas emissions by sector according to the CO2 Ordinance in 1990 and today. The buildings sector comprises households and services. For industry, the dotted segment shows emissions from the incineration of waste in municipal solid waste incineration plants and special waste incineration plants and as an alternative fuel in industrial furnaces. Emissions from international aviation and navigation are not included in the figures for transport.

Detailed information on the greenhouse gas emissions of the individual sectors is available on the subpages.

Greenhouse gas balance of land use

Greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation and navigation

Further information, in particular on the overall climate impact of aviation, taking into account non-CO2 emissions, is available on the following website:

Greenhouse gas emissions from aviation

Further information

Emissionen von Treibhausgasen nach CO2-Gesetz und Übereinkommen von Paris (Version April 2025) (PDF, 1 MB, 15.04.2025)In German, also available in French

CO2-Emissionsfaktoren des schweizerischen Treibhausgasinventars (PDF, 250 kB, 31.01.2025)Zusammenstellung der CO2-Emissionsfaktoren und Energieinhalte verschiedener Energieträger, die im Treibhausgasinventar verwendet werden (in German, also available in French and Italian).

Kenngrössen zur Entwicklung der Treibhausgasemissionen in der Schweiz (1990-2023) (PDF, 1 MB, 15.04.2025)Stand April 2025 (in German, also available in French)

Klimawirkung von Treibhausgasen und weiteren Substanzen (PDF, 320 kB, 15.04.2025)Faktenblatt (in German, available also in French and Italian)

Climate effect and CO2 equivalent emissions of short-lived substances (PDF, 2 MB, 19.05.2022)Fact sheet on the climate effect and CO2 equivalent emissions of short-lived substances (Swiss Academy of Sciences, with the support of the FOEN).

Evolution of Switzerland's greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 (April 2025) (XLSX, 441 kB, 15.04.2025)

Emissionsübersicht: Tabellen zum Bericht (Version April 2025) (XLSX, 346 kB, 15.04.2025)Tabellen zum Bericht «Emissionen von Treibhausgasen nach CO2-Gesetz und Übereinkommen von Paris» (in German, also available in French)

Swiss climate reporting under the UNFCCC

UNFCCC: GHG Review Tools - Locator

Tool for comparing the greenhouse gas emissions of different countries.

UNFCCC: Greenhouse Gas Data

World Resources Institute (WRI): Climate Watch

International Energy Agency IEA: Data and statistics