This paper examines energy consumption and the driving forces of CO2 emissions of five sectors of the Central European economies - V4 group countries and Austria. Our analysis is based on extended Kaya Identity framework using logarithmic mean divisia index decomposition technique. We applied chaining analysis for period 2004 - 2013 and examined contributions of activity, structural, energy intensity, energy mix and emission factor effects. We found that primary mover of CO2 emissions in the all examined countries was energy intensity effect pushing emissions down while activity effect basically expressing economic growth was the main factor driving emissions up. The other one that would have increasing effect on emissions was structural effect as all the economies became more industry based. The energy mix effect played the least significant role, however the emission factor effect reflecting the changes in power and heat generation as a primary subject of initiatives transforming the energy usage patterns, recorded stable gains and was particularly important in case of Hungary and Austria in reducing emissions. We concluded that, Austrian case showed the likely path in curbing the CO2 emissions for the other countries as gains in energy efficiency which is going to inevitably diminish. Reliance on changes in energy mix will have to become integral part on the way to meet goals in limiting CO2 emissions.

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