EU emissions rise overall, but agriculture bucks the trend

Emissions from agriculture, forestry and fishing in Ireland were estimated to have increased by 8.7%

Increases in greenhouse gas emissions were estimated for 20 member states. File photo/J. David Ake

The news that greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, forestry and fishing across the European Union fell 1.4% year-on-year for the first three months of 2025 will help to spare blushes in Ireland.

Emissions from this sector in Ireland were estimated to have increased by 8.7% in the same period. But EU emissions for the sector still fell, due to Ireland's small presence in the EU scale of things, and to the lesser importance of emissions from agriculture at the EU level.