This week South East Radio looked at Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions after a recent EPA report found they decreased by 1.9 per cent in 2022.Joining us to look at this is Stephen Treacy, Senior Scientific Officer, Emissions Statistics team. Office of Evidence and Assessment.
- It will be “extremely difficult” to meet reduction targets to stay within the State’s carbon budget, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned.
- The latest EPA figures show Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by just 1.9 per cent in 2022.
- The fall was driven by higher fuel prices, increased renewable energy, behavioural change and regulation.
- It means 47 per cent of State’s carbon budget for 2021-2025 has been used in the first two years.
- The agency said an extremely challenging annual reduction of 12.4 per cent is required for each of the remaining years if Ireland is to stay within the budget.
- The EPA found that power generation emissions decreased by 1.9 per cent last year due to a reduction in coal, oil and peat use and more renewable energy.
- Agriculture emissions fell by 1.2 per cent, driven by reduced fertiliser use which offset the impact of an increase in livestock numbers.
- Residential emissions decreased by 12.7 per cent, influenced by the impact of higher fuel prices, new regulations that ban the use of smoky fuel and milder weather.
- However, transport emissions increased by 6 per cent as the rebound to pre-pandemic levels continued.
- The agency said current decarbonisation actions are being outpaced by increased energy demand across the economy and dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation.
- It warned that a growing economy, with high employment, will continue to produce emissions if cleaner and alternatives sources of energy are not used.
Here’s a few websites if you want to know more !
