CSO figures show vehicles contributing to greenhouse gas

An increase in the number of vehicles on Irish roads and a growth in the services sector have helped bring about an overall increase of 7% in greenhouse gas use between 1997 and 2004.

This is according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Environmental accounts for Ireland between 1997 and 2004 published on Monday, May 22nd, show that greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector increased by 62% over the seven-year period.

At the same time there was a rise in the number of vehicles on Irish roads from 1.4 million in 1997 to over 2 million in 2004. The services sector has seen the level of greenhouse gases it emits increase by 31% between 1997 and 2004.
The Kyoto Protocol commits Ireland to limiting its increase in emissions of greenhouse gases to 13% above 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. At the moment they are 23% more than allowed under the Kyoto Treaty.

The CSO figures show the scale of the overall increase in emissions between 1997 and 2004.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing showed a 9% cut in emissions between 1997 and 2004.
Chemical production showed a decrease of 68% in emissions between 1997 and 2004 while the manufacturing industry increased its emissions by 64%. The construction sector and related activities showed a 16% increase.

Sulphur-dioxide emissions were shown to have decreased by 57% in all areas. This was mainly because of a fall in emissions from electricity generation and the introduction of low-sulphur transport fuel.