In 2023, the carbon intensity of the Italian economy was 0.12 kg CO₂e per dollar of GDP, almost a third lower than the G20 average. The United States, despite being one of the world’s most advanced economies, has an intensity of 0.24 kg CO₂e/$, twice that of Italy. Despite being the second largest manufacturer in the European Union, Italy ranks only seventeenth in Europe for emissions intensity.

The intensity of emissions in Italy’s manufacturing sector decreased by 17.1% between 2014 and 2023, and is 5.1% lower than the EU average, ranking among the lowest in Europe. Despite the wide diversification of Italy’s industry, about 71.5% of Italy’s manufacturing emissions come from four main sectors: non-metallic minerals (23.8%), petroleum products (19.0%), chemicals (14.9%), and metallurgy (13.8%). These sectors represent about 15% of the manufacturing value added.