Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions are rising again, according to figures released yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the cement industry identified as the biggest single culprit.
Annual emissions were up by 0.45 per cent in 2004 on the previous year, which recorded a slight reduction mainly due to the closure of the IFI fertiliser plants outside Arklow, Co Wicklow, and Marino Point, in Cork Harbour.
The latest figures show that, in 2004, greenhouse gas emissions were 23.5 per cent higher than in 1990. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland is required to limit the growth in these emissions to 13 per cent above their 1990 level between 2008 and 2012.
Based on the new figures, Ireland's emissions in recent years in terms of percentage increase above the 1990 baseline peaked in 2001 at 27 per cent. They were 24 per cent higher in 2002, 23 per cent higher in 2003 and 23.5 per cent higher in 2004.
EPA director general Dr Mary Kelly expressed disappointment that the modest reductions in 2002 and 2003 had not been sustained. "Today's figures highlight the challenges facing Ireland in seeking to comply with its Kyoto commitments in a growing economy," she said.
"Ireland needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in each sector of the economy if we are to meet our Kyoto target. Opportunities for reduction on a sector-by-sector basis must be identified and measures put in place to deliver on them."
The largest contributors to emissions were identified as agriculture, which accounted for almost 29 per cent (mainly methane from ruminant animals); energy (power generation and oil refining) at just over 23 per cent; and transport at 17.5 per cent.
In terms of their relative position, emissions from energy industries decreased by 2.5 per cent in 2004, while emissions from transport increased by 6 per cent, the residential sector by 7 per cent and the processes sector by 19.8 per cent.
The higher levels of emissions from the residential and transport sectors reflect increases in population, housing stock and road traffic.
Indeed, the increase in transport emissions is a continuation of a sustained and significant upward trend.
The rise in emissions in the process sector follows earlier declines and were "entirely due to increased emissions from the cement industry", according to the EPA. Every tonne of conventional cement produced releases a tonne of carbon dioxide.
Dr Kelly welcomed as positive the reduction in emissions from power generation and oil refining (mainly due to more efficient plants and some reduction in the use of peat), and agriculture (largely due to a slight reduction in fertiliser use).
"The Kyoto Protocol allows countries to comply with their commitments by a combination of measures including domestic reductions and the purchase of carbon credits," she said.
"Ireland must, in the long term, achieve as much as possible domestically."
The figures remain provisional until March when they are to be submitted to the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
