Ireland's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Decrease By 2 Per Cent In 2024

• Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 2 per cent (-1.1 Mt CO₂eq) in 2024.
• All sectors, except heating of homes and buildings, saw reductions in 2024:
  • Energy industries emissions decreased by 8.9 per cent (-0.7 Mt CO₂eq)
  • Agriculture emissions decreased by 1.7 per cent (-0.4 Mt CO₂eq)
  • Transport emissions decreased by 1.2 per cent (-0.1 Mt CO₂eq)
  • Industry emissions decreased by 4.6 per cent (-0.3 Mt CO₂eq)
  • Heating of homes and buildings increased by 5.6 per cent (+0.4 Mt CO₂eq)
• Despite the overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compliance with national commitments and EU targets will be extremely challenging:
  • Ireland’s national target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51 per cent in 2030 compared to 2018 levels. In 2024, greenhouse gas emissions were 12 per cent below 2018 levels.
  • Ireland’s EU target is a 42% reduction in emissions from key sectors including agriculture, transport, and buildings by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. In 2024, greenhouse gas emissions were 11 per cent below 2005 levels.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its provisional greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland for 2024. The figures show a reduction of 2 per cent or 1.1 Mt CO₂eq compared to 2023, with emission reductions in almost all sectors - except for heating of homes and buildings.

In total, 54 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO₂eq) were emitted, excluding emissions from Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF).

Commenting on the report Laura Burke, Director General, EPA said:
“Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions have declined for three years in a row. These important findings underscore the effectiveness of climate action and implementation of decarbonisation strategies across our economy and society. We're seeing the tangible benefits from sectors like electricity, with more renewables and interconnection; and transport, with a notable increase in biofuel use in our vehicles.”

She added,
“While the 2024 data is moving in the right direction in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is not at the necessary scale and pace to achieve our EU targets or the National Climate commitments. For example, if Ireland is to meet our first carbon budget, a further 10 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is needed in 2025, which will be extremely challenging.”

In terms of EU targets, the assessment shows that Ireland exceeded its EU Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) commitments in 2024, even with the use of flexibilities. 2024 greenhouse gas emissions were 11 per cent below 2005 levels, well short of Ireland’s EU Effort Sharing reduction commitment of 42 per cent by 2030.

Regarding compliance with national climate commitments, the assessment shows that greenhouse gas emissions (including LULUCF) are 12 per cent lower than in 2018, far off the national climate ambition of a 51 per cent reduction by 2030.

A summary of the trends from key sectors:
Energy Industries: Emissions from energy industries decreased for the third consecutive year by 8.9 per cent in 2024 to an all-time low of 7.2 Mt CO₂eq. This was due to the large share of energy generation coming from renewables (39.6 per cent) in combination with an increase in the share of imported electricity (14 per cent of electricity supply in 2024 compared to 9.5 per cent in 2023). 2024 was also the first year that peat was not used in electricity generation in Ireland since the first sod peat-fired power station in Portarlington began operations in 1950.

Agriculture: Agriculture emissions decreased by 1.7 per cent or 0.3 Mt CO₂eq in 2024. This was primarily due to a 2.9 per cent reduction in cattle numbers. In contrast there was a 10.6 per cent increase in nitrogen fertiliser use.

Transport: This is first post-COVID decrease in transport emissions. There was a 1.2 per cent or 0.14 Mt CO₂eq decrease in 2024, after having increased by approximately six per cent in both 2021 and 2022, and by 0.3 per cent in 2023. In particular, the increased use of biofuels slowed growth in emissions in this sector despite increases in the number of vehicles and a growing workforce.

Industry: Manufacturing Combustion and Industrial Processes emissions decreased by 4.6 per cent to 6.0 Mt CO₂eq in 2024 due to declines in coal and oil usage. Total emissions from the cement sector decreased by 15.6 per cent or 0.4 Mt CO₂eq in line with a reduction in clinker production.

Buildings (Residential, Commercial and Public): Emissions from buildings increased by 5.6 per cent due to a colder winter and increased use of fossil fuels. In the Residential sector, this increase follows two consecutive years where emissions from homes have been at their lowest point since 1990.

Commenting, Dr Tomas Murray, Senior Manager, EPA said:
“There are positives to be taken from this assessment given the declines in emissions observed across key sectors. However, some sectors face greater challenges to decarbonise than others. In particular, based on this assessment, both Agriculture and Transport each require significant reductions of 5.6 and 15.5 per cent, respectively, in 2025 to meet their indicative percentage reduction targets. The national climate objective of a 51 per cent reduction by 2030 will be unattainable unless every sector meets their reduction target and sectoral ceiling.”

The Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory 1990 to 2024 is available on the EPA website and the EPA Greenhouse Gas web resource is also available online.

Table 1. Provisional greenhouse gas emissions for 2023 and 2024 for Ireland.

^* LULUCF data for 2024 Provisional Inventory are 2023 Final Inventory estimates; these will be updated for the 1990-2024 Final Inventory published in 2026.

 Table 2. Compliance with EU Effort Sharing Regulation Targets 2021-2025

^† Set out in Annex II and Annex III of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/2126 with additional potential flexibilities arising from LULUCF

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, amending the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, provides the framework for Ireland to meet its international and EU climate commitments and sets a legally binding target of a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030 on 2018 levels.

Typically, National total emissions are presented excluding LULUCF (as they are in this report unless otherwise noted) due to the difficulty in comparing one country’s climate actions with another when it is included.  For the purpose of assessment against the National Climate Act target however, it is necessary to include this sector and where this is the case the inclusion is noted in the report.

Units: 1 Mt = 1,000 kilotonnes

CO₂ Equivalent: greenhouse gases other than CO₂ (i.e. methane, nitrous oxide and so-called F-gases) may be converted to CO₂ equivalent using their global warming potentials. 

F-gases: These gases comprise HFCs (Hydroflurocarbons), PFCs (Perfluorcarbons), SF₆ (Sulphur Hexafluoride) and NF₃ (Nitrogen Trifluoride).  They are much more potent than the naturally occurring greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide).

Ireland’s Greenhouse Gas Sectors include the following eleven sectors for analysis:

1. Energy Industries (electricity generation, waste to energy incineration, oil refining, briquetting manufacture and fugitive emissions)
2. Residential (combustion for domestic space and hot water heating)
3. Manufacturing Combustion (combustion for Manufacturing industries in ETS and non-ETS)
4. Commercial Services (combustion for Commercial Services space and hot water heating)
5. Public Services (combustion for Public services space and hot water heating)
6. Transport (combustion of fuel used in road, rail, navigation, domestic aviation and pipeline gas transport)
7. Industrial Processes (process emissions from mineral, chemical, metal industries, non-energy products and solvents)
8. F-Gases (gases used in refrigeration, air conditioning and semiconductor manufacture)
9. Agriculture (emissions from fertiliser application, ruminant digestion, manure management, agricultural soils and fuel used in agriculture/forestry/fishing)
10. Waste (emissions from solid waste disposal on land, solid waste treatment (composting and anaerobic digestion), wastewater treatment, waste incineration and open burning of waste).
11. Land-Use, Land-use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) covers the following categories; Forest Land, Cropland, Grassland, Wetlands, Settlements, Other Land and Harvested Wood Products.