'Disappointing' increases in Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions 

Older plants such as the coal-fired plant at Moneypoint were used to ensure power was available last year, contributing to the rise in carbon intensity of electricity production. File picture: Kieran Clancy

Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation and industry shot up last year, with emissions from electricity generation alone rising 21%, an increase branded as “disappointing” by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In its annual review, the EPA found greenhouse gas emissions from Irish energy generation and industrial production rose by 15%, or 2m tonnes, last year, compared to 2020.