Malta is the only European Union country expected to emit more greenhouse gases in 2030 than it did in 2005, according to a new European Commission report.

The 2025 Climate Action Progress Report shows that by 2030, Malta's emissions are projected to be 30 per cent higher than 2005 levels. If no new measures are introduced, that figure could rise to over 40 per cent.

Both scenarios would be well above Malta's target of cutting emissions by 19 per cent under the Effort Sharing Regulation, which measures greenhouse gas emissions coming from domestic transport, buildings, agriculture, small industry, and waste.

It is set to miss this target by 49 percentage points, the largest projected gap by some margin. Initially, Malta's target was to achieve a 36 per cent reduction, but this was lowered to 19 per cent after talks with the European Commission.

Meanwhile, the Climate Action Authority said on Thursday that Malta's emissions per capita have fallen by 44 per cent since 2005, which is well above the EU average of 34 per cent. Emissions per unit of GDP have also dropped by 81.6 per cent, compared to the EU average of 61.9 per cent.

"Malta aims to reduce emissions by 40% by 2030, driven largely by a planned 77% reduction in emissions from power generation. Reaching this goal will require continued committed action, particularly in the transport and building sectors, where challenges remain. The government is addressing these gaps while making full use of EU support," the authority said.

The goal is for the EU as a whole to reduce its emissions by 40 per cent by 2030. In 2024, the report said that emissions across the EU are 20 per cent less than in 2005.

The report also found that in 2025, Malta implemented the fewest policies and measures to achieve the climate objectives.

But the report noted how "the number of single policies and measures is not necessarily a good indicator of the past, current and future ambition of member states".

The report also mentioned how only Malta and Estonia have identified all projects under the EU's Just Transition Fund, which is a fund meant for people and regions impacted by the transition towards climate neutrality.