Ireland's Dairy Processors See Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

According to new figures from the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), emissions from dairy processors in Ireland increased by 3.6% last year. This rise stands in contrast to the country’s overall reduction in emissions by 5.5% across its largest carbon-emitting sectors. The ETS, established two decades ago, aims to encourage high-emission industries to adopt cleaner practices.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noted that emissions from Irish airlines also grew by nearly 2%, with flights within Europe reaching over 13.4 million tonnes of emissions, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In comparison, emissions from the power generation sector fell by 8.9%, largely due to the cessation of coal-burning at the Moneypoint electricity station and increased electricity imports from Britain, which now account for 17% of the country's electricity use.

Maria Martin, a senior manager at the EPA, emphasized the need for further efforts to decouple sector growth from emissions. While renewable energy sources slightly increased their share of electricity generation by 1%, the cement and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors also recorded reductions in emissions by changing production processes to meet demand for less carbon-intensive products.

Eimear Cotter, EPA director general, highlighted that Irish operators have reduced emissions by 52% since 2005 under the ETS. However, not all sectors have shown the same progress, as shipping companies, newly included in the scheme, have not yet fully reported their emissions data.