Ireland's GHG Emissions

Agriculture remains the single largest contributor to the overall emissions at 33.9% of the total. Transport and Energy Industries are the second and third largest contributors at 20.1% and 17.4% respectively. Residential and Manufacturing Combustion emissions account for 10.2% and 7.8 % respectively. These five sectors accounted for almost 90% of national total emissions in 2018. The remainder is made up by the Industrial Processes at 3.8%, Commercial Services at 1.9%, F-Gases at 2.0%, Public Services at 1.6% and Waste at 1.5%.

The graph below illustrates the trend in these GHG emissions over the period 1990-2030, where it can be seen that there is evidence of an upward trend in some sectors in recent years. The latest emissions publications are available on the EPA Website and details from 2018 can be viewed here (EPA, 2020). 

This information is from the 2020 EPA report which contains data up to 2018. 

Emissions in the Residential sector increased by 7.9% or 0.46 Mt of CO2eq in 2018. Within the different fuels used for household space and water heating, all fuels showed increases; coal, peat, gasoil, kerosene, natural gas and biomass increased by 4.4%, 4.4%, 9.0%, 10.2%, 8.7% and 3.7% respectively in 2018. There were 7.6% more degree days in 2018, with all 25 weather stations showing more heating days especially during the months January to April 2018. 

Emissions from the Waste sector decreased by 3.2% in 2018, with a decrease in sub-category; landfills of 3.5%. Overall emissions decreased by 0.03 Mt CO2eq

In 2018, total emissions (combustion and process) from the cement sector increased by 4.7% and amount to 2.91 Mt CO2eq, or 4.8% of national total emissions. Cement sector emissions have now increased by 91.2% since 2011.

Emissions from Commercial Services and Public Services both increased by 5.3% and 8.2% respectively, with increases of 9.9% and 3.8% in natural gas and gasoil use in both sectors in 2018. There was a decrease in biomass/biogas use of 14.1% in commercial services and a decrease of 0.5% in public services.