Latest emissions data

Note: These pages present final 1990-2024 Inventory data (updated March 2026) and the EPA's latest 2025-2030 projections estimates (updated May 2026)  

In 2024, Ireland’s GHG emissions are estimated to be 53.93 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO₂eq), which is 1.9% lower (or 1.06 Mt CO₂eq) than emissions in 2023 (54.99 Mt CO₂eq) and follows a 3.0% decrease in emissions reported for 2023. Emissions are 3.3% below the historical 1990 baseline for the second consecutive year.  

In 2024, emissions in the stationary ETS1 emissions decreased (7.4%) and emissions under the ESR (Effort Sharing Regulation) decreased (0.4%). Decreased emissions in 2024 compared to 2023 were observed in the largest sectors except for Residential which showed an increase of 4.8%.  

Emissions per capita decreased from 11.4 tonnes CO₂eq/person in 2023 to 10.0 tonnes CO₂eq/person in 2024. Ireland’s average tonnes of GHG/capita over the last ten years were 12.08 tonnes. With recent CSO 2024 data showing a population of 5.4 million people and with population projected to increase to 5.7 million in 2030, 6.0 million in 2040 and 6.3 million by 2050, per capita emissions need to reduce significantly. At current per capita emission levels, each addition 500,000 people would contribute an additional five million tonnes of CO₂eq annually.  

Arresting growth in emissions is a challenge in the context of a growing economy but one which must continue to be addressed by households, business, farmers and communities if Ireland is to reap the benefits of a low-carbon economy.  

Assessment of compliance

The final greenhouse gas emission inventory for 2024 is the fourth of ten years over which compliance with targets set in the European Union’s Effort Sharing Regulation (EU 2018/842) will be assessed. This Regulation sets 2030 targets for emission reductions outside of the Emissions Trading Scheme (known as ESR emissions) and annual binding national limits for the period 2021-2030. Ireland’s target is to reduce ESR emissions by 42% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, with a number of flexibilities available to assist in achieving this. The ESR includes emissions from sectors outside the scope of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), including Agriculture, Transport, Residential, Commercial/Public Services, Waste and F-gases.

Ireland’s ESR emissions annual limit for 2024 is 38.68 Mt CO₂eq. Ireland’s final 2024 greenhouse gas ESR emissions are 42.61 Mt CO₂eq; this is 3.93 Mt CO₂eq more than the annual limit for 2024. This value is the national total emissions without emissions generated by stationary combustion, i.e. power plants, cement plants, and domestic aviation operations that are within the EU ETS. Cumulatively from 2021-2024 and after using the ETS flexibility, Ireland is not in compliance with the ESR by a net distance to target of -1.91 Mt CO₂eq. In 2024, there is an exceedance of 2.02 Mt CO₂eq above its Annual Emissions Allocation with the ETS flexibility. Agriculture and Transport accounted for 75.5% of total ESR emissions in 2024. The revised LULUCF Regulation (2023) incorporates new rules around LULUCF flexibilities for the period 2021-2025 and 2026-2030. There is a high degree of uncertainty relating to the availability of the LULUCF flexibility and, if available, the quantity of flexibility in each budgetary period.

The latest EPA projections (May 2026) indicate that currently implemented policies and measures under the With Existing Measures scenario will achieve a reduction of 13% on 2005 levels by 2030, significantly short of the 42% reduction target. If planned policies and measures in the higher ambition With Additional Measures scenario are implemented, EPA projections show that Ireland can achieve a reduction of 23% on 2005 levels by 2030, still short of the 42% reduction target. 

EPA projections show that use of the EU-ETS flexibility alone will not bring Ireland into compliance under the ESR. When the ETS flexibility is applied on an annualised basis, projections indicate that Ireland will cumulatively exceed the ESR 2021-2030 emissions allocation by 23.1 Mt CO₂eq even with implementation of policies and measures in the WAM scenario and by 41.5 Mt CO₂eq with those in WEM. When both ETS and LULUCF flexibilities are applied, the projections still indicate that Ireland will cumulatively exceed the ESR 2021-2030 emissions allocation by 9.7 Mt CO₂eq even with full implementation of policies and measures in the WAM scenario and 28.1 Mt CO₂eq with those in WEM.

EU/EA member states GHG emissions per capita

As the graph below shows Ireland has higher than average emissions of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) because we have the highest agriculture emission contribution towards national total emissions from any of the EU member states. A similar pattern can be seen in New Zealand where agriculture is also an important part of the economy. These figures reflect the relative importance of agriculture to Ireland’s economy, and the lack of heavy industry in comparison to some other member states. Agricultural emissions are dominated by CH₄ from enteric fermentation and manure management and N₂O from fertiliser, manure applied to land and animal excreta deposited directly onto pasture. Latest European data are available on the EEA data viewer. 

Ireland's Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ireland’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased in the period from 1990 to 2001 where it peaked at 70.85 Mt CO₂ equivalent, before displaying a downward trend to 2014. Emissions increased by 4.0% and 3.8%, respectively in the years, 2015 and 2016 and remained relatively stable in 2017 and 2018, followed by a 3.0% decrease in 2019. In 2020 total national GHG emissions were 3.6% lower than 2019 emissions largely driven by the covid restrictions. The gradual lifting of covid restrictions in 2021 along with an increase in the use of coal and less renewables within electricity generation resulted in a 4.5% increase in emissions in 2021 compared to 2020. A 2.1% decrease in emissions was seen in 2022 compared to 2021, mainly due to a substantial decrease in residential sector emissions combined with decreases from industry, agriculture and electricity generation. This was followed by a 6.8% reduction in emissions in 2023. 

Ireland's GHG emissions have decreased by 3.3% from 1990-2023.  

In relation to the greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide (CO₂) accounted for 61.1% of the total, with methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) contributing 28.9% and 8.8% as CO₂ equivalent, respectively and F-gases contributing 1.2% of the total as CO₂ equivalent. 

In 2023, the energy industries, transport and agriculture sectors accounted for 73.5% of total GHG emissions. Agriculture is the single largest contributor to the overall emissions, at 37.7%. Transport, energy industries and the residential sector are the next largest contributors, at 21.5%, 14.3% and 9.7%, respectively.