Snapshot of Ireland for World Environment Day 2026 shows we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building more energy efficient homes, and growing more trees
CSO press statement,
CSO Marks World Environment Day 2026 with Snapshot of Key Environmental Indicators
To mark World Environment Day taking place tomorrow, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (04 June 2026) published a snapshot of key environmental indicators in Ireland using CSO data.
The CSO’s Climate & Environment directorate produces vital independent data on emissions, energy use, and environmental sustainability. These national statistics provide data on the interaction between the economy, society, and the environment, as well as insight for policy makers and benchmarks with Europe.
Commenting on the release, Deirdre Mahony, Assistant Director General of the CSO’s Climate and Environment directorate, said: “Ahead of World Environment Day, the CSO has produced a snapshot of key environmental indicators for Ireland, looking at how we interact with our environment and how our behaviour is changing.
Looking at trends over time, we can see the action being taken by our society in response to climate issues, for example by building more energy efficient homes, producing less waste, growing more forestry, reducing the use of pesticides, and around one-third of enterprises are now using technology to reduce their environmental impact. This release provides a glimpse of the breadth of data we at the CSO produce on our climate and environment.”
Highlights from the CSO’s Climate & Environment Statistics
Energy
Newer homes are more energy efficient. As of April 2026, over 99% of dwellings built since 2020 had received an A rating when awarded a Building Energy Rating (BER), compared with 9% of those built in earlier years
Between 2021 and 2025, the number of homes using solar energy in their BER rose from just over 70,000 (8% of total rated dwellings in Q1 2021) to almost 200,000 (15% of total in Q4 2025)
Large energy users, a category including major data centres and significant industrial consumers, represented 31% of total metered electricity consumption in 2024, up from 15% in 2015
In 2024, the median household used 3,246 kWh of electricity, down 5.9% compared with 2015, while gas consumption fell by 21.7% to 7,771 kWh over the same period
Over a third of people had at least one energy efficiency technology installed in their home in 2024, which rose to 40% for owner occupied homes compared with 21% for those in rented accommodation
Electric Cars
The number of new private electric cars licensed in April 2026 rose by 73% when compared with April 2025 (3,089 vs 1,783)
The share of electric vehicles (EVs) among new private cars from January to April 2026 was 23% compared with 16% in the same period of 2025
Ecosystems and Agriculture
When it comes to spending time in nature, in 2024 89% of people said they felt happier after spending time in green and natural spaces in summer
The extent of our Forest and Woodland ecosystems grew in Ireland between 2018-2021 by 4,500 hectares of broadleaved deciduous and mixed forests, equivalent to 3,800 full size GAA pitches
In 2024, sales of pesticides were at their lowest since 2011 at 2.1 thousand tonnes
The area of land in Ireland used for settlements and other artificial areas rose by 14,500 hectares between 2018-2021
Emissions and our Green Economy
Environmental protection expenditure by government, households, and corporations was estimated to be €3.2 billion in 2023
Household greenhouse gas emissions fell 15% between 2014 and 2023. In 2023, around half of greenhouse gas emissions from households were from private cars and around half were from heating fuels
Ireland’s economy is becoming less resource-intensive and less emissions-intensive and is producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions per unit of economic activity
Gross Output of the Green Economy was €12.1 billion in 2023, up 10% on 2022. The Green Economy supported 48,400 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs, which was up 13% on 2022
Some 33% of Irish enterprises used ICT in 2025 to reduce their environmental impact, ahead of the EU average of 30%
In 2025, 27% of enterprises used ICT systems or solutions to reduce energy consumption, while 18% did so to reduce materials used or enhance use of recycled materials
Waste
In 2023, 94% of packaging waste was recovered, up 2% from 2022, but up significantly from the average annual figure of 38% between 2000 and 2004
The amount of waste generated in Ireland rose by 21% between 2012 and 2022, largely due to the growth in waste generated by increased activity in the Construction sector, which accounted for almost two-thirds (65%) of the growth in waste volumes
The amount of hazardous waste generated in Ireland as a proportion of total waste declined from 10% in 2010 to 4% in 2022, slightly below the EU average of 5%
Between 2010 and 2022 waste that was landfilled in Ireland fell in terms of both volume, down from 3.8 million tonnes to 2.6 million tonnes, and as a proportion of total waste treated, down from 40% to 19%
CSO Marks World Environment Day 2026 with Snapshot of Key Environmental Indicators
To mark World Environment Day taking place tomorrow, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (04 June 2026) published a snapshot of key environmental indicators in Ireland using CSO data.
The CSO’s Climate & Environment directorate produces vital independent data on emissions, energy use, and environmental sustainability. These national statistics provide data on the interaction between the economy, society, and the environment, as well as insight for policy makers and benchmarks with Europe.
Commenting on the release, Deirdre Mahony, Assistant Director General of the CSO’s Climate and Environment directorate, said: “Ahead of World Environment Day, the CSO has produced a snapshot of key environmental indicators for Ireland, looking at how we interact with our environment and how our behaviour is changing.
Looking at trends over time, we can see the action being taken by our society in response to climate issues, for example by building more energy efficient homes, producing less waste, growing more forestry, reducing the use of pesticides, and around one-third of enterprises are now using technology to reduce their environmental impact. This release provides a glimpse of the breadth of data we at the CSO produce on our climate and environment.”