Most EU member states managed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2012 – but there were exceptions, with Malta leading the carbon dioxide guzzlers, with an increase of 56.9 per cent.

Taken across the EU, Eurostat reported yesterday that the average was a decrease of 17.9 per cent but eight countries saw increases, many of the others being member states whose economies were under pressure: Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Austria and Slovenia.

The EU is now confident that it can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, and has set itself a target of 40 per cent reductions by 2030.

Twenty member states have already reached their 2020 energy consumption targets, aiming to bring consumption back to the levels of the 1990s. Malta fared better in this context, managing to bring its consumption down by 20 per cent.

However, it was also at the bottom end of the rankings for renewable energy. All member states have been improving the percentage of energy derived from renewable energy but while 13 member states managed to double it over the last 10 years, Malta still only got 3.8 per cent in 2013, the second lowest. Malta’s target is to reach 10 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020.