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Ireland’s 2022 Greenhouse Gas Emissions show a welcome decrease, but much work remains to be done
- Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 1.9% (1.19 Mt CO2eq) in 2022, driven by higher fuel prices, increased renewable energy, behavioural change and regulation.
- Power generation emissions decreased by 1.9% due to a reduction in coal, oil and peat use and more renewable energy.
- Agriculture emissions decreased by 1.2% driven by reduced fertiliser use which offset the impact of an increase in livestock numbers.
- Residential emissions decreased by 12.7% with the impact of higher fuel prices, new regulations that ban the use of smoky fuel and milder weather evident.
- Transport emissions increased by 6% in 2022 as the COVID rebound continues.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its provisional greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland for 2022. The figures show a reduction of 1.9% compared to 2021, with emission reductions in all key sectors, except Transport.
In total, 60.76 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2eq) were emitted excluding emissions from Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF).
The report highlights that 47% of Ireland’s Carbon Budget for 2021-2025 has been used in the first 2 years. An extremely challenging annual reduction of 12.4% is required for each of the remaining years if Ireland is to stay within the Budget.
The figures also show that Ireland exceeded its 2022 annual limit under the European Union’s Effort Sharing Regulation (EU 2018/842). These annual limits have been reduced further from 2023 onwards as Ireland’s Effort Sharing commitment increased from a 30% reduction on the 2005 level by 2030 to a 42% reduction.
Commenting on the figures Ms Laura Burke, Director General, EPA said: “An overall emissions reduction is welcome, and it is encouraging to see the impact of action across key economic sectors. Drivers for this reduction were higher fossil fuel prices and associated behavioural change, more renewable energy, and the impact of regulation such as the nationwide ban on smoky fuels in home heating.
She added “While welcome, this decrease in emissions needs to be significantly ramped up. We need faster progress on the actions set out in national climate action plans to decarbonise and transform all sectors of Ireland’s economy, to stay within National Carbon Budgets and reduce our Greenhouse Gas emissions by 51 per cent by 2030.”
A summary of the trends from key sectors:
Energy Industries: Emissions decreased by 1.8% despite a 2.1% increase in overall electricity demand. The reductions were driven by reductions in coal, oil and peat used in electricity generation (-16.1, -29.1 and -24.8% respectively). These reductions, however, were largely offset by the highest gas usage since 2010 (up 12.6% compared to 2021). The emissions intensity of electricity generation declined to 331g CO2/kWh in 2022 (from 348g CO2/kWh in 2021) due to increased renewable energy, but remained above 2020 levels.
Agriculture: Emissions overall decreased by 1.2% or 0.29 Mt CO2eq in 2022. A welcome decrease of 14% in nitrogen fertiliser use, to 343,000 tonnes, made significant progress towards the 330,000 tonne target for 2025 in the Climate Action Plan and resulted in 0.44 Mt CO2eq less emissions from agriculture. These reductions offset the impact of higher dairy cow numbers which increased for the 12th successive year. Total milk production increased by 0.7% in 2022, with milk output per cow decreasing slightly (-0.2 per cent).
Residential: Emissions decreased significantly by 12.7 per cent to 6.1 Mt CO2 eq. The main drivers for the decrease included a large rise in fossil fuel prices, warmer weather and new nationwide solid fuel regulations that ban the use of smoky fuel in home heating.
Transport: Emissions increased by 6% (to 11.63 Mt CO2 eq), following a similar increase in 2021. Overall higher transport activity – both private cars and freight transport – is eroding the impact of electric vehicles. In 2022, there were 72,000 battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEVs) which is approximately 37% of the Climate Action Plan target for 2025. Emissions in this sector in 2022 were 4.6% below the pre-pandemic level seen in 2019.
Land-Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULULCF): This sector accounted for 10.7% of the total emissions in 2022 (including LULUCF) and decreased by 0.5%. The main source of emissions is from grasslands on organic soils that have been drained for agricultural production. Net grassland emissions were 6.8 Mt CO2 eq in 2022 while Forest land became a net source in 2022 (0.4 Mt CO2 eq) as more trees reached harvesting age.
Commenting, Ms Mary Frances Rochford, Programme Manager, EPA said: “Current decarbonisation actions are being outpaced by increased energy demand across the economy and dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation. A significant increase in Transport emissions in 2022 highlights the fact that a growing economy, with high employment, will continue to produce emissions if we do not break the link and decouple emissions from increased activity by using cleaner and alternatives sources of energy.”
The Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory 1990 to 2022 is available on the EPA website and the EPA Greenhouse Gas web resource is also available online HERE.
Further information: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office Tel: 053-9170770 (24 hours) or media@epa.ie
- Approximately 800,000 tonnes of food waste is generated in Ireland each year.
- Ireland has committed to halving food waste by 2030 under UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.
- Signing the Food Waste Charter is a pledge to take action to reduce food waste.
- Membership of the Food Waste Charter is open to businesses that produce, process, manufacture, distribute or sell food and drink and to supporting organisations that commit to championing the Food Waste Charter within their areas of responsibility.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today launched a new Food Waste Charter, calling on all businesses and State Agencies operating across the food supply chain to sign up and commit to reducing food waste. Building on the success of the first charter – which launched in 2017 and focused on the grocery retail sector—this new, more ambitious Charter, expands the call to action to every organisation in Ireland’s food supply chain.
Businesses signing up to the Food Waste Charter voluntarily commit to measure their food waste, set targets and take action to reduce food waste, and to report annually on progress.
The EPA’s Director General Ms Laura Burke, Minister Ossian Smyth (Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy), Minister Charlie McConalogue (Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine), and a number of supporting State Agencies and champion food sector businesses signed the Food Waste Charter at an event today at Farmleigh House, pledging their commitment to this Government of Ireland initiative.
Ms Laura Burke, EPA Director General, said: “With almost 800,000 tonnes of food waste generated in Ireland annually, meeting Ireland’s commitment to halve food waste by 2030 is very challenging, and we don’t have much time. We need to work together; every business along the food supply chain and in the food services sector must play their part to reduce food waste. These businesses are called on to sign the Food Waste Charter and make a commitment to prevent food waste.
Reducing food waste is an important climate action, with global food waste accounting for approximately 10% of global GHG emissions. Food waste is also costly, and many food and drink businesses are looking at more efficient production processes and innovation to reduce and prevent food waste. By signing up and actively engaging with the Food Waste Charter, businesses will have the opportunity to support their climate action goals and reduce their costs.”
Speaking at the event, Minister Ossian Smyth, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy said: “The Government is committed to making the circular economy a reality in Ireland and tackling food waste is one of the key steps the food sector must take to help us to a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption.
Signing up to the Food Waste Charter is a public demonstration of commitment to a collaborative and collective manner to address food waste. Wasting food that we produce and buy is not only a waste of money but a mismanagement of valuable resources in a time when we all need to make a concerted effort to protect and use our resources wisely.”
Minister Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine said: “We all have a role to play in reducing food waste. I call on all stakeholders in the agri-food sector to sign up to the Food Waste Charter and pledge to participate in collective efforts to reduce food waste and food loss and to help ensure there is accuracy and consistency of measurement of food waste across the food supply chain.
Food is a precious and valuable resource. Reducing food waste helps our farmers, fishers, other food producers and our processors to be more viable and resilient, will help us to achieve our climate action targets and improve the sustainability of the food sector. When we reduce our food waste we show our respect for the safe and nutritious food that our primary producers and processors work all year round to provide.”
Businesses that sign up to the Food Waste Charter commit to measure (monitor and track their food waste), reduce (identify and take at least one target-based action to reduce food waste) and report (annually on progress towards measurable outcomes and achievements) on their food waste.
For more information see: The Food Waste Charter. State Agencies play a key role in supporting the food and drink sector in Ireland. Today five State Agencies (Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Enterprise Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Teagasc) pledged their commitment to the Food Waste Charter.
Further information on the Food Waste Charter and how to sign up can be found at www.foodwastecharter.ie
Ms Maura Barrett, (Cashel Library) Reports:-
On Friday morning next, May 26th, at 11:00am sharp in Cashel Library, Ms Stephanie Woods will discuss the women artists of ‘An Túr Gloine (Irish for “The Glass Tower”) latter a Stained Glass Studio, focusing on the works of Sarah Purser, Evie Hone and Catherine O’Brien and the windows they created in Tipperary.
An Túr Gloine was first conceived of in late 1901 and finally established in January 1903 at No. 24 Pembroke Street, Dublin, Ireland.
The aforementioned Sarah Purser hoped to provide an alternative to the commercial stained glass imported from England and Germany, for Irish churches and other architectural projects.
Thus, the original impetus for this project, was spurred on by the building of a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Loughrea, Co. Galway; drawing on the artistic tradition of Celtic manuscript illumination.
Note Please: Booking is essential to Tel: 062 63825.
Refreshments will be served at this FREE truly informative event, where at all possible should not to be missed.
Look forward to seeing you there.
The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has recently published four short guides for parents on children’s data protection rights under General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). These guides are intended to help parents to understand their children’s rights and to answer questions that can arise in typical situations where those rights apply.
Protecting children’s personal data is an important priority for the DPC, and is one of the five strategic goals of our 2022-2027 Regulatory Strategy. The DPC has also published our ‘Fundamentals’ guidance on children’s data protection rights to help organisations provide the special protection required when they process children’s personal data. These guides are part of the DPC’s work to give effect to the goals stated those documents.
My child’s data protection rights – the basics
The above link outlines some of the issues that can arise when a parent seeks to exercise data protection rights on behalf of their child.
Children’s data and parental consent
The above link looks at the meaning of the ‘digital age of consent’ and outlines when parents’ consent may be needed for processing their child’s personal data, and how parents can approach those cases.
Protecting my child’s data
The above link is intended to help parents understand the rights that they have in relation to their children’s data and gives some useful advice on how to protect their children’s rights.
Finally: Are there any limits on my child’s data protection rights?
This above link shown outlines some important limits to how and when children’s data protection rights may be exercised, whether by children themselves or by parents on their behalf. It outlines some common situations where these can arise and suggests ways in which parents can address them.
The DPC hopes that these guides will be useful not just to parents and guardians, but also to educators and anyone interested in children’s safety and wellbeing online.
If you have any questions about anything you read in these guides, you can email or call the DPC and they will be happy to answer your questions. You can find more information about how to contact the DPC HERE.
Ms Maura Barrett, (Cashel Library) Reports.
With the ‘Irish Fibre Crafters’ Bealtaine event, scheduled for Wednesday May 10th 2023 next now fully Booked Out, a limited number of spaces still remain available for the following other planned Bealtaine (Irish – May) events.
Please remember that for each of the following events, booking is essential to Cashel Library at Tel: 062-63856, so do make contact ASAP to avoid disappointment, confirming your wish to attend.
Monday 8th May — Tai Chi @ 11:00am
Tai Chi with Ross Cousens from Master Ding Academy – Unlike most forms of exercise and sport, Tai Chi doesn’t rely on strength, force and speed, which makes it ideal for everyone—young and old, strong or not. Do come along and give it a go!
Tuesday 9th May — Decoupage with Mairead Kennedy @ 11:00am.
The right side of our brain is the creative side and it’s nice to use it more especially as we age. It makes us more aware of our surroundings and the simple things that we are sending to landfill e.g Can, jars or boxes. There is creative potential in everything and everyone. Creativity helps us work together in a group appreciating effort and results while sharing laughter, chats and memories.
Wednesday May 10th – Irish Fibre Crafters.
Note Please: This event is fully Booked Out.
Thursday 11th May – Laughter Yoga @ 2:00pm.
The laughing movements mimic the breathing technique, which forms the core of yoga. Like yoga, laughter yoga includes meditation, affirmations, and light stretches. It has excellent benefits for the body; hence it is really yoga.
Friday 12th May – Memoirs and Melodies with Jean Farrell @ 11:00am.
Jean Farrell writes a weekly column in the Westmeath Independent. Her many readers identify with Jean’s humorous interesting view of life as she looks back over many changes which have taken place in Ireland, since she was a young child in the 1950’s. In memories and melodies Jean reads some of her most popular articles and her sister sings some well-known songs linked to these.
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