Vehicle emissions main cause of pollution

CARBON dioxide emissions from vehicles is the biggest cause of pollution in Ireland and is the main reason we are not meeting our obligations under the Kyoto agreement.

Figures released yesterday by the Central Statistics Office show transport emissions increased by 67% in the eight years up to 2005.

The Environmental Accounts revealed that in 2005 the country produced 46.6 million tonnes of CO2 gases — an increase of 17% on 1997. In that time our energy demand rose by 33%.