National Greenhouse Gas Inventory
The EPA has overall responsibility for the national greenhouse gas inventory in Ireland's national system and compiles Ireland's annual greenhouse gas emission inventory and projections.
The greenhouse gas emission inventory is a compilation of historical greenhouse gas emissions from the ten following sectors; Agriculture, Transport, Energy Industries, Residential, Manufacturing Combustion, Industrial Processes, F Gases, Waste, Commercial Services and Public Services. Emissions data from 1990 to the most recent year for which data is available for the following gases is reported: Carbon Dioxide (CO2,) Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perflurocarbons (PFCs), Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6), and Nitrogen Trifluoride (NF3).
Ireland’s National Inventory Report for 2020 provides final estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for the period 1990-2018. The 2018 emissions show a large decrease in energy generation but that emissions in the agriculture, transport, residential, commercial and public services sectors are heading in the wrong direction.
For 2018, total national greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to be 60.93 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2eq). This is 0.1% lower (0.07 Mt CO2eq) than emissions in 2017 but exceeds the 2018 annual limit set under the EU’s Effort Sharing Decision (ESD), 406/2009/EC by 5.59 Mt CO2eq.
Further Information
For more information on Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions inventory and projections visit the
EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions resource.