Economic Trends in High-emitting Sectors 2023

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Economic Activity in the Land Transport Sector

Figure 5.1 shows trends in territorial greenhouse gas emissions, gross value added at constant (2023) prices, and employment numbers for the Land transport sector from 2011 to 2023. Greenhouse gas emissions in the sector fell 30% between 2011 and 2023, while gross value added (GVA) went up 23% and employment rose by 20%.

Greenhouse gas emissions by Irish resident economic units such as Irish haulage companies operating abroad are not included in territorial greenhouse gas emissions totals. In each year from 2011 to 2023 land transport emissions by residents abroad were estimated at around 0.4-0.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Greenhouse gas emissions by non-resident economic units operating in Ireland are included in territorial emissions totals, but are not included with emissions from the Land Transport sector for consistency with National Accounts data on GVA and employment. Non-resident emissions from land transport were estimated at around 0.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023.

Figure 5.2 shows the Land Transport sector share of total territorial greenhouse gas emissions, GVA, and employment. In 2023, emissions from Land Transport were 3% of total greenhouse gas emissions, compared with 5% in 2011. The share of GVA and employment share fell slightly in the same time period.

Table 5.1 shows data on levels of territorial greenhouse gas emissions, GVA, and employment numbers for the Land Transport sector from 2011 to 2023, as well as the share of total emissions, GVA and employment. In 2023, emissions were 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, GVA was €3.9 billion, and employment in the sector was 57,199 persons.

Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Figure 5.3 shows that the majority of territorial greenhouse gas emissions from the Land Transport sector were due to road transport fuel combustion in vehicles in all years from 2011 to 2023, with the share standing at 79% in 2023 (see Table 5.2). 

Road Transport Vehicle and Fuel Types

Figure 5.4 and Table 5.3 show vehicle licensing data by fuel type for public service vehicles (buses, taxis, hackneys and limousines). In 2023, electric vehicles made up 3.1% of the total, up from 1.9% in 2022. The percentage of hybrid public service vehicles increased from 0.2% in 2011 to 13.8% in 2023.

Table 5.4 shows vehicle licensing data by fuel type for goods vehicles. The percentage of goods vehicles using autodiesel as fuel was 99% in 2023, while electric vehicles made up 0.7% of goods vehicles.

Environmental Subsidies and Taxes in the Land Transport Sector

Figure 5.5 shows a comparison of environmental taxes paid and environmental subsidies received by the Land Transport sector from 2011 to 2023. Environment taxes paid by the Land Transport sector consist mainly of energy taxes and transport taxes, and were €442 million in 2023. Environmental subsidies in this sector are predominantly grant payments for electric public service vehicles, with some supports for heavy duty vehicles and rail transport also. In 2023, €17 million was received in environmental subsidies by the Land Transport sector. 

Figure 5.5 also shows environment taxes paid per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted by the Land Transport sector. This was €236 per tonne in 2023, up from €220 in 2022.

Table 5.5 shows the Land Transport sector share of environmental taxes and subsidies from 2011 to 2023. In each year, the share of environment taxes paid was higher than the share of emissions, while the share of environmental subsidies received was lower. In 2023, the sector share of environment taxes was 10%, the sector share of environmental subsidies was 1%, and the sector share of territorial greenhouse gas emissions was 3%.

Table 5.5 also shows data on environment taxes paid per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted by the sector from 2011 to 2023. This showed a mainly increasing trend from 2011 to 2021 before falling in 2022 and rising again in 2023.