Official inventories of Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions are prepared annually by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The most recent data, for the year 2015, were published on 13 April 2017 and are available on the EPA's website at http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/air/airemissions/ghgemissions/. According to this data, the breakdown of emissions by sector in 2015 is as follows:
|
Sector
|
Mt CO2eq.
|
% of total 2015 emissions
|
|
Agriculture
|
19.81
|
33.1%
|
|
Transport
|
11.83
|
19.8%
|
|
Energy Industries
|
11.80
|
19.8%
|
|
Residential
|
6.04
|
10.1%
|
|
Manufacturing Combustion
|
4.55
|
7.6%
|
|
Industrial Processes
|
1.99
|
3.3%
|
|
F-Gases
|
1.14
|
1.9%
|
|
Commercial Services
|
0.94
|
1.6%
|
|
Waste
|
0.97
|
1.6%
|
|
Public Services
|
0.81
|
1.3%
|
|
Total ETS
|
16.84
|
28%
|
|
Total Non-ETS
|
43.04
|
72%
|
|
Total for all sectors
|
59.88
|
100%
|
Ireland’s transport sector has been the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions over the period 1990 to 2015. The transport share of overall national emissions has increased from 9% in 1990 to almost 20% in 2015, and transport emissions are expected to increase in the coming years as the economy continues to grow strongly. EPA inventory data for the transport sector distinguishes between road transport, railways, and domestic navigation and aviation. Emissions from the agriculture sector reached an absolute peak in 1998 and, by 2015, were 5.5% below their 1990 levels, albeit on a rising trend since 2012.
The 2014 National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development sets out an ambitious long-term commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Ireland by at least 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050 across the electricity generation, built environment and transport sectors; and in parallel, to pursue an approach to carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land-use sector, including forestry, which does not compromise capacity for sustainable food production.
Ireland's first statutory National Mitigation Plan, which I published in July of this year, provides a framework to guide investment decisions by Government in domestic measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Plan sets out Ireland’s vision for achieving the transition to a decarbonised economy, identifying over 70 mitigation measures and 106 related actions across different sectors of the economy.
The National Mitigation Plan outlines a number of measures that are already contributing to emission reductions in the transport sector, including: sustained investment in the public transport network; the introduction of a Biofuels Obligation Scheme; regulations limiting tail pipe emissions in cars; incentives to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles; and redesigning the Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) and motor tax regimes to promote low carbon emitting vehicles.
In relation to electric vehicles, in May of this year the Government approved and published the National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland 2017 to 2030. This policy framework sets an ambitious target that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero emissions (or zero emissions capable). The Low Emissions Vehicle Taskforce, which is co-chaired by my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, is considering a range of measures and options available to Government to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles. The work of the Taskforce is well underway and has already resulted in a package of measures in Budget 2018 designed to promote a low carbon, electric vehicle future.
The National Mitigation Plan also presents options for a range of additional measures which will further intensify efforts to mitigate emissions from the transport sector. These include:
- the implementation of the National Planning Framework (currently being finalised by Government), which aims to ensure better integration of land use and transport planning policy in order to reduce commuter travel demand and support more efficient patterns of development and travel;
- increasing public transport capacity and securing a shift, where feasible alternatives exist, away from private car use;
- encouraging the take-up of alternative fuels to petrol and diesel; and
- increasing the obligation under the Biofuels Obligation Scheme to further reduce the concentration of high-emitting fuels.
The long-term vision for the agriculture, forest and land-use sectors is based on an approach to carbon neutrality.
It should be noted that the agri-food sector is Ireland’s largest indigenous manufacturing industry, with total agri-food employment, including on-farm employment in primary agriculture, forestry and fishing, as well as the food processing industry, accounting for over 165,700 jobs. The most recent data available shows the agri-food sector accounting for 7.6% of Gross Value Added (2014), 23% of all manufacturing turnover (2014), 8.4% of employment (2015) and 10.7% of merchandise exports (2015). Current analysis suggests that the emissions intensity per kcal of food output in 2013 is reduced approximately 14% relative to 2005 and early estimates project that the "business as usual" scenario 2030 emission intensity will be a quarter below the emission intensity in 2005. Further, early estimates of agriculture with additional measures is approximately 35% below 2005, although absolute emissions remain reasonably stable.
The National Mitigation Plan highlights a number of measures that are already contributing to emission reductions in the sector, including: the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP); Knowledge Transfer Programme; Green, Low Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS); Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS II); Organic Farming Scheme; Smart Farming Programme; Business, Environment and Technology through Training Extension and Research (BETTER) Farms Programme.
Importantly, the National Mitigation Plan is a living document that will be updated as on-going analysis, dialogue and technological innovation generate more and more cost-effective sectoral mitigation options. This continuous review process reflects the broad and evolving nature of the sectoral challenges outlined in the Plan, coupled with the continued development and deployment of emerging low carbon and cost effective technologies across different sectors of the economy. As this first Plan moves through the implementation phase, this process will enable it to be amended, refined and strengthened over time and assist in keeping Ireland on target to meet our obligations.
