Carbon emissions from top polluters on the rise

The country’s biggest carbon polluting companies are creating more greenhouse gas emissions while the trend across Europe is falling.

Latest EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) figures show a 5.4% increase in greenhouse gas emissions by Irish participants last year, compared to a 2.7% decline in the rest of Europe.

Around 100 heavy energy users from this country are part of the ETS — mainly power plants, large industrial facilities and airlines.