CO2 emmissions down 2%

New figures from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) show that energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Ireland have decreased by 2% in 2003.

The figures also highlight that the decoupling of energy and emissions growth from economic growth that began in 2002 continued in 2003. This is the second year since 1990 that energy consumption has decoupled from economic activity.

The year 1990 is significant as a baseline year because the Kyoto Protocol and associated EU targets are based on emissions from that year.

The new figures are contained in a report - Energy in Ireland 1990-2003 - published by SEI’s Energy Policy Statistical Support Unit.