Climate-Action Policies
Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 6.8pc to their lowest level in over 30 years last year, in the first significant sign that climate-action policies are taking effect.
However, the breakthrough comes with warnings that bigger and faster reductions are needed to ensure the country complies with legally binding targets.
There were also some circumstances that fed into the reduction last year that may not always be possible to replicate.
A caveat that some emissions are not included in the formal accounting procedures used under international agreements also applies.
The 6.8pc fall in emissions equates to a saving of four million tonnes (mt) of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases.
In total, 55mt were emitted. Levels have not been that low since 1990.
Reductions were recorded in almost every sector, the analysis from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows.
Transport, the second biggest emitting sector after agriculture, had a 0.3pc increase, but at a time of rapid population growth and economic expansion, that is lower than feared.
EPA director general Laura Burke said the national reduction last year was the largest ever reported outside a recession.
“These are significant findings that signal the impact of climate action and decarbonisation measures across Ireland’s economy and society,” she said.
“However, while these are positive results for the year 2023, we are still well off track in terms of meeting EU and national 2030 targets.
“We need to maintain and further build momentum.”
The biggest reduction in emissions was in power generation, which saw a fall of 21.6pc, or 2.2mt.
That was due to a 12-fold increase in the amount of electricity imported via interconnectors with Northern Ireland, which links to Scotland, and with Wales.
Last year was also a good year for renewables, with wind and solar providing 40.7pc of the country’s electricity needs.
These factors contributed to a reduction in burning coal, oil and gas – all high-emitting fossil fuels – to generate electricity.
While those exact circumstances may not be repeated this year, the Government is planning five more interconnectors, including to France, to increase the options for importing electricity,
Government policy also wants dramatically increased renewable capacity at home, with powerful offshore wind turbines and more rooftop and large-scale solar arrays.
Emissions from agriculture, the country’s largest-emitting sector, were down 4.6pc or 1mt, primarily due to livestock farmers using less nitrogen fertiliser on grassland. Fertiliser usage fell because of price increases after the invasion of Ukraine but there has also been a concerted effort to show farmers they can achieve similar results by using less and this seems to have paid off.
A 2.1pc reduction in methane from livestock also trimmed overall agricultural emissions but this coincides with a 4.7pc drop in milk production, which may not be repeated, particularly as dairy cow numbers increased slightly, by 0.6pc, last year.
Emissions from households were down by 7.1pc or 0.4mt last year, despite the increase in population.
That was partly due to a mild winter with less gas and oil heating and open fires in use but it also reflects the increase in energy efficient homes. More than 30,000 electric heat pumps were installed last year, bringing the total to over 120,000.
Industry, the commercial sector and public services also reduced emissions, with the drop in the high-emitting cement-manufacturing sector particularly notable. As demand for construction material rises, that may be hard to replicate, although work is progressing on developing low-carbon cement and timber alternatives.
Transport emissions, some of the hardest to rein in, increased by 0.3pc but were kept from rising further mainly because a higher concentration of biofuels in petrol and diesel came into effect and because of more electric vehicles on the road.
The main caveat to the overall national reduction is that it does not take account of emissions from “land use, land use change and forestry” (LULUCF).
LULUCF usually reduces emissions but Ireland’s forests are ageing and degrading and the peatlands are drained so they are emitting rather than capturing and storing carbon. If their impact is counted, then the reduction in national emissions is a more modest 3.8pc – although that is still the best in years.
The EPA welcomed the improvement but reminded that the legally binding reduction by 2030 is 51pc. It said the scale of reductions needed each year now if that was to be achieved would be “extremely challenging”.
The figures, which are provisional until formally signed off later this year, were released as latest reports from the EU’s climate monitors showed more alarming climate change trends.
According to the Copernicus climate change service, last month was the hottest June on record globally and marked the 12th consecutive month that average temperatures hit or exceeded the 1.5C threshold that scientists have warned must not become the norm.
