Measuring Ireland's Progress 2026

By country: Greenhouse gas emissions

• The European Union’s Climate Target Plan 2030 proposes to cut EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to their 1990 level.
• In 2024, Irish greenhouse gas emissions were 96.7% of their 1990 level, i.e. 3.3% lower (see Table 3.1). 
• Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU27 in 2024 were 62.0% of their 1990 level (i.e. 38% lower). Estonia had the biggest drop in emissions, to 25.4% of its 1990 level. Cyprus is the only EU member state whose greenhouse gas emissions remain higher (+58.3%) in 2024 compared to its 1990 level.
• Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions per capita were 10.0 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2024, which was the second highest in the EU27 after Luxembourg at 11.1 tonnes. The EU27 average was 6.7 tonnes per capita, and the lowest was Malta at 3.8 tonnes per capita.

Ireland: Greenhouse gas emissions

• The three main components of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and methane (CH₄). The other gases that contribute to emissions are hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃). These latter four gases accounted for between 1.1% and 2.0% of total greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland between 2014 and 2024.
• Total greenhouse gas emissions decreased from 58.0 million tonnes in 2014 to 53.9 million tonnes in 2024 (-7.0%). During that time they fluctuated, reaching a peak of 62.7 million tonnes in 2016, while falling to 57.6 million tonnes in 2020, before rising to 60.2 million tonnes in 2021.
• Carbon dioxide emissions decreased from 36.8 million to 32.7 million tonnes between 2014 and 2024, though reaching a peak of 40.3 million tonnes in 2016.
• Between 2014 to 2024, there was a 11.0% decrease in CO₂ emissions, 1% decrease in N₂O emissions and a 3.8% increase in CH₄ emissions.

Ireland: Air pollutant emissions

• All air pollutants included in Table 3.3, i.e. sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide, ammonia (NH₃), carbon monoxide, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and particulate matter (PM₁₀), decreased between 2014 and 2024.
• Levels of ammonia (NH₃) decreased by 0.7% from 118,200 tonnes in 2014 to 117,400 tonnes in 2024. These levels peaked in 2018 at 130,600 tonnes.
• Sulphur oxide (SO_x) emissions decreased by 60.6%, from 18,000 tonnes in 2014 to 7,100 tonnes in 2024, while carbon monoxide (CO) emissions decreased by 54.0% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 21.7%.
• Levels of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) decreased by 32.1% between 2014 and 2024. The primary source of PM_2.5 particles was household activities. Levels of particulate matter (PM₁₀) decreased by 21.1% over the same time.
• Levels of all air pollutants decreased between 2023 and 2024, except ammonia, which increased by 0.5%.

Ireland: Particulate matter in urban areas

• The adverse health impact of the air pollutant particulate matter (PM₁₀) arises from its ability to penetrate into the respiratory tract.
• The annual average level of PM₁₀ in Dublin was 12 µg/m3 in 2024, down from 14 µg/m in 2014. In the time period 2014 to 2024, its highest annual average was 15 µg/m3 in 2019 and its lowest annual average was 12 µg/m3 in 2021 and 2024 (see Table 3.4).
• The EU daily limit of PM₁₀ was not exceeded in Dublin in 2024. Between 2014 and 2024, the highest number of days the limit was exceeded was 9 days in 2019.
• In Cork, average PM₁₀ levels fell to 11 µg/m³ in 2024, down from peaks of 18 µg/m³ recorded in 2016, 2019, and 2021. The daily limit of PM₁₀ was not exceeded in 2024.
• In 2024, the average level of PM₁₀ in towns with a population greater than 15,000 persons was 16 µg/m3, down from 21 µg/m3 in 2014. The daily limit of PM₁₀ was exceeded on 9 days in 2024.
• The EU Directive (2008/50/EC) sets a limit of 50µg/m3 of PM₁₀ in a 24-hour period and stipulates that a country may not exceed this limit in any locality for more than 35 days of the year. Ireland has not exceeded the 35-day limit at any monitoring station to date. The 2008 directive is being replaced by Directive (EU) 2024/2881 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe which entered into force in December 2024 and sets stricter air quality standards that need to be attained by 2030.

Ireland: Annual average fine particulate matter

• The adverse health impact of the air pollutant fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) arises from its ability to penetrate deep into the respiratory tract.
• In Dublin levels of PM_2.5 dropped from 9 µg/m³ in 2014 to 8 µg/m³ in 2024 (see Table 3.5). 
• The annual average level of fine particulate matter in Cork was 5 µg/m³ in 2024, while the highest annual value over the period 2014-2024 was 8 µg/m³ for five years in total.
• In towns greater than 15,000 persons, the annual average level of fine particulate matter was 12 µg/m³ in 2024, same as 2023. The highest annual average over the time period was 16 µg/m³ in 2014, 2019 and 2022.
• In rural areas the annual average levels of PM_2.5 dropped from 14 µg/m³ in 2014 to 8 µg/m³ in 2024, while the lowest annual value over the period 2014-2024 was 7 µg/m³ in 2023.
• There were no regions where PM_2.5 levels exceeded the EU annual mean limit of 25 µg/m³. 

By country: Energy productivity

• Energy productivity measures the amount of output that is produced per unit of gross inland energy consumption and provides an indicator of the energy consumption in a country.
• Ireland’s energy productivity increased from €22.8 per kilogram of oil equivalent (KGOE) in 2020 to €27.0 per KGOE in 2024 (see Table 3.6 and Figure 3.2).
• In the EU27, Ireland had the highest energy productivity each year since 2020.
• In 2024, the EU27 average was €10.0 per KGOE, with the lowest energy productivity in Bulgaria, at €3.0 per KGOE.

Ireland: Municipal waste generated, recovered, and landfilled

• The amount of municipal waste in Ireland rose from 2.6 million tonnes in 2014 to 3.1 million tonnes in 2024, an increase of 18.7% (see Table 3.7).
• In the same period, there was a 11.9% decrease in the quantity of waste landfilled, and a 34.3% increase in the quantity of waste recovered (recycled, composted or incinerated for energy recovery).
• The quantity of municipal waste generated per person increased from 562kg in 2014 to 576kg in 2024, with the highest annual value of 637 kg per person in 2020.
• Waste recovered as a proportion of total waste generated rose from 73.9% in 2014 to 83.6% in 2024 (see Figure 3.3). 

By country: Municipal waste generated and treated

• Ireland had the seventh highest quantity of municipal waste generated per capita in the EU27 in 2024 at 576kg per capita, among the countries with available data. This compared to an EU27 average of 517kg waste generated per capita, while Denmark had the highest at 755kg, and Estonia the lowest at 375kg (see Table 3.8).
• In 2024, 15.2% of municipal waste was sent to landfill in Ireland, below the EU27 rate of 21.3%. Belgium, Finland and Sweden all landfilled 1.0% or less of waste, compared with over 70% in Malta.
• In Ireland 26.6% of waste was recycled in 2024, below the EU27 rate of 28.7%. Another 15.9% of waste was composted, below the EU27 rate of 19.2%.
• Ireland incinerated 41.1% of its waste in 2024, the sixth highest rate in the EU27 (among countries whose data is available). Sweden and Finland had the highest incineration rates at 52.7% and 51.7% respectively.

By country: Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants

• In Ireland, the number of passenger cars per 1,000 people increased from 448 in 2021 to 475 in 2025 (see Table 3.9). 
• Ireland had the fourth lowest ratio (along with Sweden) of passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants in the EU27 in 2025.
• The average number of passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants in the EU27 was 584 in 2025. Latvia had the lowest ratio at 435 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, while Italy had the highest, at 709.
• All but five countries in the EU27 - Sweden, Malta, Luxembourg, Spain and Estonia - saw an overall increase in the number of passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants between 2021 and 2025. The average increase in the EU27 was 4.1%.

By country: Modal split of inland freight transport

• Almost all (99.4%) inland freight transport in Ireland went by road in 2024, well above the EU27 rate of 78.2%. No freight was transported by inland waterways in Ireland and 0.6% was transported by railway (see Table 3.10).
• Ireland had the highest percentage of freight travelling by road of those EU27 countries that had alternative transport options available. Malta and Cyprus have no rail or inland waterway transport, so all inland freight travelled by road in these two countries.
• Netherlands had the lowest percentage of freight transport travelling by road at 53.7% in 2024. No EU country had more freight travelling by rail than by road in 2024.
• The Netherlands recorded the highest share of freight transported by inland waterways in 2024, at 40.4%, far exceeding the EU27 average of 5.2%. Lithuania had the highest share of freight moved by rail, 37.7% in 2024.

Ireland: Number of vehicles licensed for the first time by type

• In Ireland, the total number of vehicles licensed for the first time in 2025 was 167,562, an increase of 4.0% from last year (see Table 3.11).
• In 2025, diesel remained the most common fuel type among vehicles licensed for the first time, accounting for 34.4% (57,725 vehicles) of all registrations, although this marks a decline from its 75.8% share in 2015. Petrol was the second most common fuel type in 2025, representing 21.1% (35,287 vehicles) of registrations. The share of petrol was 22.8% in 2015, rose to 32.8% in 2019, before dropping to 21.1% in 2025. Both petrol and diesel saw declines compared with 2024, when their shares were 25.2% and 39.1%, respectively.
• Petrol/electric hybrids were the third most popular fuel type among newly licensed vehicles in 2025, at 27,840 or 16.6% of the total, compared with 0.9% in 2015. The numbers of petrol/electric hybrids in 2025 increased by 8.5% compared with 2024.
• Electric‑only vehicle registrations increased from 18,715 in 2024 to 25,740 in 2025 (+37.5%), reversing the drop seen in 2024 from 23,762 in 2023. Registrations of plug‑in electric hybrids also rose in 2025, up 69.1% to 19,361 compared to 11,451 in 2024.

Ireland: Average and Median Domestic Metered Public Water Consumption

• Average (mean) monthly domestic metered public water consumption was 357 litres per meter per day in 2022, down 4.8% on 2021 when it was 375 litres (see Table 3.12).
• Average domestic consumption fell by 3.0% between 2016 and 2022. During that period average consumption peaked in 2020 at 378 litres.
• The median consumption of water per meter per day was 261 litres in 2022, down by 6.8% from 2021, but up 6.1% since 2016 when it was 246 litres.
• Median consumption reflects typical water use better than the average figure as it is less affected by high consumption due to leaks.

Ireland: Domestic building energy ratings

• Domestic Building Energy Rating (BER) audits were performed on almost 1.37 million domestic properties between 2009 and 2026 (Q2). BER audits are required for all dwellings offered for sale or rent since 2009 (see Background Notes).
• Of those buildings where a BER was carried out, 18.5% received an A rating, 17.5% a B rating, 30.7% a C rating, 16.4% a D rating, 7.8% an E rating and 8.9% an F or G rating (see Table 3.13). The new A0 category, which is for buildings with no fossil fuel emissions and the lowest primary energy usage, was awarded to 0.2% of the total dwellings.
• Dwellings built in recent years are far more energy efficient than those from earlier periods. Among homes built between 2020 and 2024, 99% received an A rating and 0.1% received an A0 rating. Among homes built in 2025 or after, 93.1% received an A rating and 6.7% received an A0 rating. In comparison, only 3.2% of properties built between 2000 and 2004 received an A rating.
• Around 38.3% of dwellings constructed before 1950 and 17.1% of those constructed between 1950 and 1977 (inclusive) received an F or G energy rating in a BER audit, compared with 0% of those constructed since 2015.