Ireland's Sources

Emissions data for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂), Methane (CH₄), Nitrous oxide (N₂O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perflurocarbons (PFCs), Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF₆), and Nitrogan Trifluoride (NF₃) is reported on an annual basis. They are classified into the following sectors: Energy, Residential, Industry & Commercial, Agriculture, Transport and Waste. The latest greenhouse gas inventory (see image) covers the time period 1990-2019, although Ireland's principal GHGs fall mainly into the following three gas groups:

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Ireland generates most of its electricity from fossil fuels. Cars run on fossil fuels are the main form of transport. Forestry, which absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, accounts for only 11% of land use in Ireland . Hence, Ireland has a high per capita level of CO₂ emissions.

Methane (CH₄)

As we saw earlier, the main source of methane is agriculture. Ireland is unusual in that more than one third of its human induced GHG emissions originate in agriculture. In fact it is estimated that agriculture is the single largest producer of GHGs in the country. Ireland has more than 14 million ruminant animals. These animals (through the process of enteric fermentation) release methane, which has a high global warming potential.

Nitrous Oxide (N₂O)

In Ireland, nitrogenous fertilisers are used on the land. Although nitrogen can be supplied to soil by natural organic material like manure, fertiliser is needed to meet the shortfall between the crop's requirement for nitrogen and the supply of nitrogen from the soil. An overuse of nitrogen fertilisers has the potential to pollute groundwater and increase soil acidification and GHG emissions.

As Ireland is so heavily dependent on both fossil fuels and agriculture, it is not surprising that our rate of GHG emissions per head of population is high when compared to other countries that are less dependent on agriculture, exploit renewable energy resources and have good public transport systems in place.