Selected Economic and Environmental Indicators in EU28 Countries Connected with Climate Protection

The main goal of this chapter is to present the development of selected economic and environmental indicators in EU28 countries connected with climate protection in the period from 2005 to 2015. European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) was introduced in 2005. Currently, the EU ETS is in operation for more than a decade; moreover, in 2018, the European Commission adopts rules for the next 4th trading period. Is there visible any improvement in CO2 emissions development? Can it be connected to the changes in the macroeconomic indicators? The methodological part presents the data sources and methodological background of the research. Possible geographical patterns in the development of selected indicators within the EU28 are indicated. Detailed analysis of economic and environmental data of EU28 countries is provided, with the use of (geo)visual analysis of the data. The results of the (geo)visual analysis show that CO2 emissions within selected EU countries were decreasing in the chosen period 2005–2015, with some exceptions (e.g. Iceland and Latvia). As the development of CO2 emissions in all selected EU countries is not similar, the other economic and environmental indicators were included (e.g. GDP, Investments) into the analysis to reveal a typical (geographical) pattern and explain the current situation.