Large Industry

Between 1990 and 2005 emissions from the industrial and commercial sectors in Ireland rose by 31% from 9.56 Mt to 12.55 Mt. However, emissions fell by 23.5% between 2007 and 2009 to 9.25 Mt. This is the lowest level of greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial and commercial sector for 20 years. It is due mainly to decreases in cement production during the current recession. Reports from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme show that emissions from the cement sector peaked in 2007 and have decreased by 55% between 2007 and 2010. That said, projections by the EPA indicate that even in the best case scenario, Ireland will breach its overall annual obligations for GHG emissions under the EU 2020 target in 2017 (EPA, 2012).