The EPA’s role in addressing climate change challenges includes collating national greenhouse gas emissions and projections; regulating emissions from industrial sectors; supporting climate science research; supporting behavioural change and facilitating the National Dialogue on Climate Action. Note: These pages were updated with the provisional 1990-2021 inventory data in July 2022 and latest 2021-2030 projections estimates in June 2022.
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“EVERY BIT OF WARMING MATTERS. EVERY YEAR MATTERS.
EVERY CHOICE MATTERS”
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Ireland increased in 2021
Change in emissions since 2020
+4.7%Emissions increases were driven by the partial lifting of COVID restrictions on transport highlighting that Ireland is still not on the pathway required to meet future targets and a climate neutral economy.
Ireland’s latest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 1990-2021 are provisional figures based on the SEAI’s energy balance released in June 2022.
Latest emissions data
61.53 Mt CO2eqIreland’s GHG emissions are estimated to be 61.53 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2eq)
Greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2021 due to an increase in coal use and a decrease in renewable energy for electricity generation
Residential/household sector was responsible for 11.4% of Ireland's GHG emissions in 2021
Residential emissions
-4.9%Compared to 2020, less homeworking due to the partial lifting of COVID restrictions, warmer winter & increased fuel switching from coal & peat to oil and natural gas
Emissions increased by 6.1% in 2021 due to partial lifting of COVID restrictions
Transport
+6.1%Electric vehicles have nearly doubled in 2021 but still account for less than 2% of the fleet
Increased emissions in 2021, driven by increased nitrogen fertiliser use (+5.2% in 2021) and increased numbers of dairy cows (+2.8%)
The Commercial/Public services sector estimates emissions from fuel combustion for space and hot water heating in commercial and public buildings in Ireland.
Commercial/Public share
3.4%COVID restrictions had little impact on commercial or public services sectors
Emissions from combustion of fuels in manufacturing industry. It also includes combustion for combined heat and power for own use in these industries.
Manufacturing combustion
+0.9%This sector was responsible for 7.5% of Ireland's total GHG emissions in 2021
In 2021 the industrial processes sector was responsible for 4.0% and F-gases 1.2% of Ireland's total GHG emissions
Forest land, Cropland, Grassland, Wetlands, Settlements, Other land and Harvested Wood products are included in LULUCF
Latest inventory data for 2021 shows that land use, land use change and forestry activity emit
7.8 Mt CO2eqThis sector is a net source of carbon in all years.
The provisional estimates of greenhouse gas emissions indicate that Ireland exceeds its 2021 annual limit, without the use of flexibilities, set under the EU’s Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) by 2.74 Mt CO2eq.
Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) accounted for 61.0% of the national total GHG emissions (excluding LULUCF) of 61,528.1.1 kt CO₂ equivalent in 2021, with CH₄ and N₂O contributing 27.9% and 9.9%, respectively. The combined emissions of HFCs, PFCs, SF₆ and NF₃ accounted for 1.2% of total GHG emissions in 2021.
Carbon dioxide CO₂ is the most significant contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions of CO₂ are primarily due to combustion of fossil fuels in all sectors.
Methane (CH₄) is the second most significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland and is primarily due to the agriculture sector and a the large animal population with a smaller contribution from the waste sector.
Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions contribute 9.9% to the national total GHG emissions in 2021. The largest contributor to the trend is the Agriculture sector with 93.6% share of total N₂O emissions in 2021.
The combined emissions of HFCs, PFCs, SF₆ and NF₃ accounted for 1.2% of total GHG emissions in 2021. These are mainly attributed to refrigeration and air conditioning emissions.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol provide the basis for international action to address climate change. The objective of the UNFCCC is to stabilize greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous human-induced interference with the climate system. The ability of the international community to achieve this objective is dependent on an accurate knowledge of emissions trends, and on our collective ability to alter these trends. Reliable GHG inventories are essential, both at national and international level. Parties to the convention and its Kyoto Protocol are committed to developing and publishing the national emission inventories of GHGs which is a key element of assessing progress towards meeting commitments and targets.
The EPA has overall responsibility for the national greenhouse gas inventory in Ireland's national system and compiles Ireland's national greenhouse gas emission inventory on an annual basis.
Emissions data for the following gases is reported on an annual basis: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perflurocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).
The National Climate Change Strategy (2007) designated the EPA with responsibility for developing national emission projections for greenhouse gases for all key sectors of the economy. Emission projections serve to inform national policy initiatives and allow Ireland to comply with EU and UN reporting obligations on emissions projections. The EPA produces national greenhouse gas emission projections on an annual basis.
Popular FAQs
How up to date is Irish national inventory data?
The data submitted in the current year is the inventory for x-2 years so for example in 2022 the EPA will submit to the EU and UNFCCC, the 1990-2020 time series. All reports and infographics are based on the 1990-x-2 timeseries and the most recent year of data. A provisional estimate of emissions is produced in quarter four of the year before submission and the website will be updated with this provisional data as soon as it is available.
What do WEM and WAM scenarios in emissions projections mean?
With Existing Measures scenarios. Scenario assume that no additional policies and measures beyond those already in place by the end of the latest national GHG inventory year at the time of the projections compilation.
With Additional Measures scenarios assume implementation of the WEM scenario in addition to, based on current progress, further implementation of planned government policies and measures adopted after the end of the latest inventory year. In the case of the latest projections (published in June 2022), this includes the implementation of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan. This Plan, published in June 2021, sets out a major programme of policies and measures aimed to help Ireland achieve its decarbonisation goals.
Further information on the policies and measures for the individual sectors that are included in both With Existing Measures and With Additional Measures scenarios in the latest emissions projections is available in Ireland’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections 2021-2040.
What are greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and projections?
A greenhouse gas emission inventory is a compilation of historical greenhouse gas emissions from sources, such as transport, power generation, industry and agriculture, from 1990 to the most recent year for which data is available.
A greenhouse gas emission projection is an estimate of what emission levels are likely to be in the future. They are based on key assumptions such as economic growth, fuel prices and Government policy.
Essentially the inventory data provides a summary of past emissions whereas the projections attempt to estimate the emissions in the future.
National Emission Inventories; The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol provide the basis for international action to address climate change. Parties to the convention and its Kyoto Protocol are committed to developing and publishing the national emission inventories of greenhouse gases (GHGs) which is a key element of assessing progress towards meeting commitments and targets.
The EPA compiles Ireland's national greenhouse gas emission inventory on an annual basis. This inventory is submitted to the European Commission and UNFCCC each year by 15 January and 15 April respectively.
Emissions data for the following gases is reported on an annual basis: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perflurocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).
Emissions are classified into the ten following sectors; agriculture, transport, energy industries, residential, manufacturing combustion, industrial processes, F-gases, waste, commercial services and public services.
What do decarbonisation goals and low carbon economy mean?
Decarbonisation means reduction of carbon. What is meant is the conversion to an economic system that sustainably reduces and compensates the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The long-term goal is to create a CO2-free global economy.
A low-carbon economy, low-fossil-fuel economy, or decarbonised economy is an economy based on low-carbon power sources that therefore has a minimal output of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, specifically carbon dioxide. A low-carbon economy is simply an economy that causes low levels of GHG emissions compared with today's carbon-intensive economy. 'Carbon' refers to carbon dioxide, the GHG, which contributes the most to climate change. The low-carbon economy can be seen as a step in the process towards a zero-carbon economy.
What is LULUCF?
Land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF), also referred to as forestry and other land use (FOLU), is defined by the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat as a "greenhouse gas inventory sector that covers emissions and removals of greenhouse gases resulting from direct human-induced land use such as settlements and commercial uses, land-use change, and forestry activities." It covers the following categories forest land, cropland, grassland, wetlands, settlements, other land and harvested wood products.
The UNFCCC reporting guidelines on annual inventories for Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (Decision 24/CP.19)provide guidance on the estimation and reporting of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol caused by activities relating to land use, land use change and forestry. The guidance stipulates that reporting under the UNFCCC covers all anthropogenic emissions and removals from the lands included in the LULUCF sector (land-based approach). In principle, this approach applies a wall-to-wall comprehensive inventory of anthropogenic sources and sinks of greenhouse gases over the land units subject to activities relating to land use, land use change and forestry.
