Ireland’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Drop 2% in 2024: A Step Towards Sustainable Future

Ireland’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Drop by 2% in 2024 — But Deeper Cuts Are Urgently Needed

Ireland emitted 54 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2024 — a 2% reduction compared to 2023, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This marked the third year in a row that emissions declined, though the drop was far smaller than the 6.8% reduction recorded in 2023.

Despite the progress, the EPA warns that the pace of reductions is insufficient. The agency says emissions would need to fall five times faster in 2025 to meet Ireland’s legally binding carbon budgets and its EU climate targets.

Emissions Breakdown by Sector

According to the EPA report, each person in Ireland was responsible for emitting about 10 tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2024. Emissions were spread across several sectors:

• Agriculture: 38% of total emissions

• Transport: Nearly 22%

• Energy Production: Just over 13%

• Heating Buildings (Residential): Slightly above 10%

Overall, emissions decreased in most sectors:

• Electricity generation: Down 8.9%

• Transport: Down 1.2%

• Industry: Down 4.6%

• Agriculture: Down 1.7%

However, emissions from the residential sector increased by 5.6%, largely due to colder weather in early 2024, which led to more heating days compared to the previous year.

Sector-by-Sector Highlights

Agriculture

Agricultural emissions dropped by 1.7%, primarily due to a 2.9% decline in cattle numbers. Notably, dairy cow numbers fell by 1.7% — the first annual drop in 13 years — although milk yield per cow increased by 1.3%. Non-dairy cattle numbers declined by 3.2%, and sheep numbers fell by 7.9%.

These positive trends were partially offset by a 10.6% increase in nitrogen fertiliser use, which added to agricultural emissions.

Energy Sector

Emissions from electricity generation saw a significant drop of 8.9%, marking the third year of decline. A key factor was an increase in electricity imports from the UK, which rose to 5,062 gigawatt hours — or 14% of Ireland’s electricity supply in 2024 (up from 9.5% in 2023). The EPA estimates that if that electricity had been generated domestically, it would have added 1.5 million tonnes of emissions.

Transport

Transport emissions decreased by 1.2%, the first drop in the sector since 2020, despite a 4.1% increase in the size of the national vehicle fleet. While traffic volumes have rebounded since the pandemic, emissions are still 5.4% below pre-Covid levels.

Electric vehicle adoption is on the rise, with a 35.6% increase in electricity consumption for transport. Biofuel blends also improved, with bioethanol use in petrol up 48.5%, and biodiesel up 11.6%. However, petrol consumption rose by 3%, while diesel use declined by 2.5%.

Breakdown of road transport emissions:

• Passenger cars: 49%

• Heavy goods vehicles and buses: 31%

• Light goods vehicles and vans: 20%

Falling Short of Climate Targets

By the end of 2024, Ireland’s emissions were 11% below 2005 levels, well short of its EU-mandated target of a 42% reduction by 2030. The EPA says a 10% cut in emissions will be required in 2025 to stay within the carbon budget.

Some sectors face particularly steep reductions next year:

• Agriculture: Must reduce emissions by 5.6%

• Transport: Must reduce emissions by 15.5%

EPA Senior Manager Dr Tomás Murray highlighted that these reductions will be especially challenging, given the nature of emissions in these sectors.

‘An Implementation Challenge’

Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment at the EPA, stressed that Ireland is now facing an implementation challenge. She said on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that while climate action plans exist, the gap lies in executing them effectively.

‘We know what we need to do. The policies are there. Now it’s about implementation,’ Dr Cotter said.

Failure to meet climate targets could lead to significant financial penalties and missed opportunities for domestic investment.

Environmental Groups: “A Flashing Red Warning Light”

Friends of the Earth described the EPA’s findings as alarming. Climate Policy Campaigner Seán McLoughlin said the 2% drop in emissions — compared to 6.8% the previous year — represented a loss of momentum at the worst possible time.

‘This data is a flashing red warning light,’ McLoughlin said. ‘Government is still stuck in climate go-slow mode.’

The group is calling for immediate action, including:

• Retrofitting homes, especially in vulnerable communities

• Rejecting energy-intensive data centres

• Opposing new fossil fuel infrastructure such as LNG terminals

‘Cutting emissions can also improve people’s lives — cleaner air, warmer homes, and a better quality of life,’ McLoughlin added.

Conclusion

Ireland’s modest progress in 2024 shows that change is possible, but the EPA warns that the pace must accelerate dramatically. To meet its 2030 targets, Ireland will need urgent and deep reductions across all major sectors — particularly agriculture and transport.

The next year will be crucial. Whether Ireland can shift from planning to action will determine its ability to meet climate commitments and avoid costly penalties — and more importantly, contribute meaningfully to the global effort to combat climate change.

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