Manufacturing & industry
Note: These pages present final 1990-2024 Inventory data (updated March 2026) and the EPA's latest 2025-2030 projections estimates (updated May 2026)
Manufacturing combustion sector emissions
In 2024 the manufacturing combustion sector was responsible for 11.5% of Ireland's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Emissions from the Manufacturing Combustion sector decreased slightly by 0.1% in 2024. There was a 15.1% decrease in combustion emissions from the non-metallic minerals sector and emissions increased from the major sub-sectors, including non-ferrous metals, chemicals and food processing, beverages and tobacco sectors, i.e. 3.3%, 8.2% and 7.0%, respectively.
Industrial processes sector emissions
In 2024 the industrial processes sector was responsible for 3.5% of Ireland's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The industrial processes sector estimates greenhouse gas emissions occurring from industrial processes, from the use of greenhouse gases in products, and from non-energy uses of fossil fuel carbon.
Emissions from the Industrial Processes sector decreased by 13.0% (0.28 Mt CO2eq) in 2024 from 2.15 Mt of CO2eq to 1.87 Mt CO2eq, following a 6.2% decrease in 2023.
Industrial processes and product use is the only sector for which emissions of HFCs, PFCs, SF₆ and NF₃ (collectively known as fluorinated gases or F-gases) are reported in greenhouse gas emission inventories. There is no production of fluorinated gases in Ireland, but these substances are used in activities such as Ireland’s electronics industry and for refrigeration and air conditioning. F-gas emissions increased by 0.2% from 2023 to 2024, following a decrease of 6.0% in 2023. This is driven by a decrease in emissions in the semiconductor industry.
Projected emissions in the Industry sector
(Latest update May 2026)
At a National level, Industry GHG emissions are those arising from the IPCC categories ‘Manufacturing Combustion’ and ‘Industrial Processes’. The majority of this sector’s emissions come from fuel combustion in manufacturing followed by emissions associated with mineral industry, mostly from cement production.
Under the With Existing Measures scenario, emissions from Industry are projected to decrease by 10.1% from 7.1 to 6.4 Mt CO2eq between 2018 and 2030. Under the With Additional Measures scenario, emissions from Industry are projected to decrease by 11.8% to 6.3 Mt CO2eq. The sector has an emissions reduction target of 35% by 2030 compared to 2018.
The similar trajectory under WAM highlights the impact that declining historical emissions from 2018 to 2024 had on overall projected emissions by 2030, with the difference in emissions reduction compared to WEM arising from implicit model outcomes that depend on the interplay of demand growth and renewable heat sources.