Transport
Between 1990 and 2024, Transport shows the greatest overall increase of GHG emissions at 129.1%, from 5,143.2 kt CO2eq in 1990 to 11,782.6 kt CO2eq in 2024, with road transport increasing by 132.9%. Fuel combustion emissions from Transport accounted for 9.2% and 21.8% of total national greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 and 2024, respectively. The increase in emissions up to 2007 can be attributed to general economic prosperity and increasing population, with a high reliance on private car travel as well as rapidly increasing road freight transport. Over the time series passenger car numbers increased by 204.7% and commercial vehicles increased by 189.5%. Both the increase in transport emissions up to 2007 and the subsequent fall during the financial crisis highlight that transport emissions have not yet been effectively decoupled from economic activity through sustainable planning or electrification.
Note: These pages present final 1990-2024 Inventory data (updated March 2026) and the EPA's latest 2025-2030 projections estimates (updated May 2026)
Transport sector
This sector accounts for emissions from the combustion of fuel for all transport activity including aviation, road, railway, water-borne navigation and other transportation (which includes gas pipeline transportation). In 2024, Transport emissions decreased slightly by 1.3% on 2023 and, at 11.8 Mt CO2eq, represent 21.8% of national total emissions.
Emissions from road transport were relatively stable for the period 2015-2019, at an average 11.7 Mt CO2eq but reduced to 9.9 Mt CO2eq in 2020. However, with the easing and ending of travel restrictions in 2021 and 2022, road transport emissions rebounded to a relatively stable average of 11.1 Mt CO2eq for the period 2021-2024.
Total energy consumption in road transport increased by 0.3% in 2024; petrol +3.0%, diesel –2.3%, bioethanol +48.5% and biodiesel +12.5%.
At the end of 2024, there were just over 82,400 battery electric (BEVs) and over 66,500 plug-in hybrid electric (PHEVs) vehicles in Ireland, approximately 76% of the Climate Action Plan target for 2025 of 195,300 or 16% of the 2030 policy target of 941,500 vehicles. As a result, the continued uptake of electric vehicles has meant the annual target in 2024 was exceeded.
Projected emissions
(Latest update May 2026)
Under the With Existing Measures scenario, transport emissions are projected to decrease by 15.5% over the period 2018 to 2030 to 10.5 Mt CO2eq. Emissions are projected to decrease by 27.6% to 9.0 Mt CO2eq under the With Additional Measures scenario. The sector has an emissions reduction target of 50% by 2030 compared to 2018.
The decline in emissions is due to increases in biofuel blends in petrol and diesel and a growing electrification of the fleet. The additional decrease under WAM is driven by a higher rate of electrification, reaching approximately 750,000 EVs by 2030.