Agriculture emissions increased by 1.4% in 2020, “driven by increased activity in all areas, including a 3.2% increase in the number of dairy cows”, according to new figures.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published its provisional greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland for 2020.

The figures show a reduction in overall emissions of 3.6% compared to 2019, which although significant, is 0.4% less than the reduction seen in 2019. 

Commenting on the figures, Laura Burke, director general of the EPA said: 

“Greenhouse gas emissions decreased again in 2020 following the decrease seen in 2019, with a continuation of some positive trends in the data, such as the phasing out of peat burning in electricity generation.

“The behavioural changes required to deal with the Covid pandemic also led to a reduction in emissions in sectors such as transport, while there was an increase in emissions from the residential sector.

“The overall reduction in emissions during 2020, at a time of profound change to economic and social activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, highlight the scale of action needed across all parts of our economy and society to meet the 51% emissions reduction by 2030 set within the 2021 Climate Act.

“Urgent action is also necessary to avoid a growth in greenhouse gas emissions during post-Covid economic recovery.” 

The overall emission reduction was driven by two main factors – the reduced emissions intensity in electricity generation and decreased transport emissions as a result of the Covid lockdown measures. 

Main sectoral emission trends

Agriculture emissions increased by 1.4%, or 0.3Mt CO2eq in 2020 and have increased by 12% over the last 10 years.

2020 increases were driven by increased fertiliser nitrogen use (3.3%) increased numbers of livestock including dairy cows (3.2%), other cattle (0.6%), sheep (4.8%) and pigs (2.5%).

In the last 10 years, dairy cow numbers have increased by 45.5% with a corresponding milk production increase of 60.3%. In the same 10-year period, sheep numbers increased by 21.9%, pigs by 9.7% and poultry by 25.9%.

Emissions in the energy industries sector decreased by 7.9%, or 0.74Mt CO2eq in 2020, mainly due to a 51% decrease in peat used in electricity generation.

This builds on the reductions seen in 2019, as a result of the phasing out of coal used in electricity generation.

Electricity generated from wind also played a part, increasing by 15.3% in 2020. The reduced peat use, and increased wind and hydroelectricity, resulted in an 8.1% decrease in the emissions intensity of power generation in 2020 to 295g CO2/kWh, a new record low.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector increased by 9% or 0.59Mt CO2eq as many people worked from home due to the Covid lockdown measures. Coal use increased by 6%, peat by 3% and kerosene by 19%. Natural gas use decreased marginally by 0.3%.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector decreased by 15.7% or 1.92 Mt CO2eq in 2020, driven by the impact of Covid restrictions on passenger car and public transport usage.

At the end of 2020, there were just under 26,000 battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in Ireland, highlighting the extent of the challenge in meeting the over 936,000 EVs by 2030 Climate Action Plan target.