More Than 20 Percent of Global GHG Emissions Stem from International Trade; New Visualization Tool Released 
On September 8, 2026, the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and the climate consulting firm Matière released a new visualization tool, the Traded Emissions Tracker, which maps greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with international trade. According to the data presented by the tool, emissions linked to international trade account for more than 20 percent of total global GHG emissions—an amount comparable to the combined emissions of the European Union, the United States, and Brazil. Since 1995, the growth rate of trade‑related emissions has outpaced the increase in global emissions overall, and the share of imported‑emissions within national carbon footprints has continued to rise. In response, the EU is strengthening its management of emissions embedded in imports from outside the bloc through mechanisms such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
The Impact of Imported Emissions on National Carbon Footprints
Emissions associated with international trade account for more than 20 percent of global totals, and their growth rate since 1995 has exceeded that of overall global emissions. As global supply chains expand, production increasingly occurs outside consumer countries. While emissions arise in the producing country, they are counted as imported emissions within the consumer country’s carbon footprint. Even if a consumer country reduces domestic emissions, its overall carbon footprint may not decline if emissions embedded in imports continue to rise. For this reason, countries must consider both domestic emissions and imported emissions when assessing their total carbon footprint.
If major consumer countries incorporate imported emissions into policy frameworks, products with higher embedded emissions will face higher costs. As a result, high‑emission products manufactured in countries with weaker environmental standards may become less competitive in major markets. Conversely, if countries align their emissions standards, treatment across major markets becomes more consistent, enabling international policy coordination that supports global decarbonization.
Such measures also help prevent the formation of so‑called “pollution havens,” where companies relocate production to countries with lax environmental regulations to avoid stricter rules. The EU’s CBAM is one example of a policy that integrates imported emissions into regulatory frameworks. By imposing conditions on market access for high‑emission products, it encourages companies to reassess and improve their production methods.
Overview of Emissions Data Presented by the New Tool
The newly released visualization tool is built on Eurostat’s international input–output tables (FIGARO) and allows users to analyze trade‑related emissions by country and sector through maps and database functions.
Key features include the following:
| Item | Key Data and Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Share of trade‑related GHG emissions | More than 20 percent of global emissions (equivalent to the combined emissions of the EU, the United States, and Brazil) |
| Post‑1995 growth trend | Growth rate of trade‑related emissions exceeds that of global emissions overall |
| Structure of the EU’s footprint | About one‑third of emissions occur outside the EU |
| High‑emission trade sectors | Agriculture and food products show particularly high emissions during production |
Approximately one‑third of the EU’s carbon footprint originates outside the bloc, with high‑emission sectors such as agriculture and food products accounting for a significant share. Understanding these country‑ and sector‑specific emission patterns helps clarify which areas and regions should be prioritized for policy intervention. As a result, this type of data can inform discussions on expanding CBAM coverage and advancing international coordination.
EnviX’s Comment
Because emissions associated with international trade directly correspond to companies’ procurement‑stage emissions (Scope 3), the expansion of systems that regulate imported emissions in major markets will affect corporate supply‑chain management. The newly released visualization tool provides useful reference information for identifying sectors in which emissions from suppliers are particularly significant, as it enables analysis of emission structures by country and sector.
Related Link
IEEP News: “Tracking the world’s hidden carbon: Launch of the Traded Emissions Tracker”:
https://ieep.eu/news/tracking-the-worlds-hidden-carbon-launch-of-the-ecf-traded-emissions-tracker/
