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Five sectors accounted for 78% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 with Agriculture (38%) and Households (27%) being the two highest sectors (See Table 2.1).
Agriculture accounted for 1% of Gross Value Added and 4% of employment in 2020 (See Table 3.2). The output of agriculture is an important input for other NACE sectors, e.g. in 2019, 35% of the value of the output of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector was used as an input by the Food manufacturing sector (See Table 3.4).
Around 46% of greenhouse gas emissions by households was from heating, while transport accounted for a further 32% and electricity for another 20% (See Table 4.1).
Manufacture of cement and other non-metallic minerals accounted for between 4% and 6% of emissions in each year between 2010 and 2020 (See Table 2.2).
Road and other land transport accounted for between 5% and 7% of emissions in each year between 2010 and 2020 (See Table 2.2).
Food and beverages manufacturing made up 3% of emissions in each year between 2010 and 2020 (See Table 2.2).
The proportion of electricity generated by renewables increased from 26% in 2015 to 36% in 2021 (See Table 4.7).
Electric vehicles comprised 0.6% of licensed private cars in 2020 (See Table 4.6).
The 2021 Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act set national sectoral greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2030, based on 2018 emissions. This release uses economic, social and environmental statistics on the highest emitting sectors to analyse whether greenhouse gas emissions have decoupled from economic activity or if economic and social impacts of reducing emissions towards the 2030 targets can be observed.
Many tables in this report cover the period 2010 to 2020. This period will be rolled forward one year with each new annual report. This mechanism will result in time series tables eventually covering 2018 to 2030 which is the perspective in the Climate Action Plan.
This report presents progress on indicators that are important in relation to achieving the Climate Action Plan targets. The transition to electric vehicles, the use of electricity for heating buildings; and the proportion of renewable energy used in the generation of electricity are three of the most important indicators underlying the emission reduction targets.
The report contains more detailed analyses for the highest emitting sectors. For the Agriculture sector we have used Supply and Use Table concepts to show how other NACE sectors depend on the output from Agriculture. A broader view of employment in the Agriculture sector is used to show the importance of part-time family labour input.
We have included CSO statistics on environment taxes and environmental subsidies. These policy instruments have been used to encourage changes in behaviours by households and enterprises e.g. plastic bag levy.
In line with the Eurostat Air Emissions Accounts module, emissions are assigned to the emitting production activity (NACE sector) or private household consumption activity. Economic activity and employment data are shown in this release for the highest emitting NACE sectors. Households as consumers had the second-highest emissions in 2020. As consumption activities do not contribute directly to gross value added or employment in the same way as production activities, Households as consumers cannot be assigned a share of gross value added or employment. When GDP is measured by expenditure, Households have a large share of the economy. For further information, see the Background Notes.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (31 May 2023) released Decoupling Emissions from Economic Activity 2020.
Commenting on the release, Clare O'Hara, Statistician in the Environment and Climate Division, said: "The CSO collects and receives a very broad range of data for statistical purposes. This new report combines a selection of these data to show the progress that is being made on reducing greenhouse gas emissions towards the 2030 Climate Action Plan targets. The release focuses on the five sectors with the highest greenhouse gas emissions and examines the economic importance of those sectors in terms of gross value added and employment.
Highest Emitting Sectors
Five sectors accounted for 78% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. These were Agriculture (38%), Households as consumers (27%), Manufacture of cement and other non-metallic minerals (6%), Road and other land transport (5%), and Manufacture of food, beverages and tobacco (3%).
Economic Activity and Employment Analysis by Sector
Agriculture (NACE 01) accounted for 1% of gross value added and 4% of employment in 2020. The output of agriculture is an important input for the manufacture of food and beverages and other NACE sectors and hence it contributes indirectly to output in these sectors.
Around 46% of greenhouse gas emissions by households was from heating with a further 32% from the vehicles of private households and another 20% from electricity consumption. Emissions from fossil fuels used to generate electricity were assigned to the final user of the electricity in this release.
Manufacture of cement and other non-metallic minerals (NACE 23) accounted for between 4% and 6% of emissions in each year between 2010 and 2020. In 2019, 50% of cement and other non-metallic mineral products were used as inputs by the construction industry.
Road and other land transport (NACE 49) emissions were lower in each year from 2012 to 2020 than in 2010. Gross value added at constant (2020) basic prices was higher in each year from 2011 to 2019 than in 2010. The decrease in gross value added in 2020 when compared with 2010 levels may have been due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Emissions from the use of private cars by households and from the use of road vehicles by NACE sectors other than the road freight and passenger transport sector (NACE 49) were attributed to those sectors.
Food and beverages manufacturing (NACE 10-12) accounted for 3% of emissions in each year between 2010 and 2020. In 2020, greenhouse gas emissions were slightly below the 2010 figure while gross value added and employment were higher than in 2010.
Household Energy Efficiency, Heating and Transport
Electricity was the main heating fuel for 87% of dwellings built in 2020-2023, and for 20% of dwellings that have had a Building Energy Rating audit conducted. In 2020, electric vehicles comprised 0.6% of licensed private cars. Renewable energy was the source of 39% of electricity generated in 2020."