Greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland are now almost twice the level the Government is committed to under its Kyoto Protocol target, according to latest official figures.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) says national greenhouse gas emissions exceeded the Kyoto target in 1997 and were 25 per cent above the 1990 baseline in 2003.
In its Environmental Accounts for Ireland 1996-2003 report, the CSO suggests "significant remedial measures" are required to meet our commitment under the Kyoto protocol.
CSO
Ireland is committed to limiting its increase in emissions to 13 per cent above 1990 levels between the years 2008 and 2012.
The report says aggregate national emissions increased by 22 per cent from approximately 35.6 to 43.5 million tonnes between 1996 and 2003.
Although the share of emissions emanating from the industrial, residential and agricultural sectors have declined, the share of emissions from the transport and services sectors increased.
Figures show emissions in the industrial sector rose by 12 per cent and by 45 per cent in the services sector.
The most marked increase in CO 2emissions occurred in the transport sector where emissions increased by 66 per cent between 1996 and 2003.
The report says residential greenhouse gas emissions were stationary at approximately 10 million tonnes per annum between 1996 and 2003.
But over the same period the housing stock increased by about 28 per cent suggesting that emissions per household declined. The report this figure hides the fact that households actually increased their demand for energy.
