Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Ireland
Ireland: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector was 725.47 kilograms per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Ireland, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 725.47 kilograms per person for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in 2023.
That represents a change of up 9.7% on the previous year and up 43.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Ireland peaked at 771.67 kilograms per person in 2018 and was at its lowest, 272.59 kilograms per person, in 1992.
Ireland ranks 25th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Ireland, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 315.88 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 316.9 kilograms per person | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 272.59 kilograms per person | -14.0% |
| 1993 | 408.26 kilograms per person | +49.8% |
| 1994 | 353.74 kilograms per person | -13.4% |
| 1995 | 415.43 kilograms per person | +17.4% |
| 1996 | 420.5 kilograms per person | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 468.37 kilograms per person | +11.4% |
| 1998 | 479.64 kilograms per person | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 548.9 kilograms per person | +14.4% |
| 2000 | 589.07 kilograms per person | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 678.23 kilograms per person | +15.1% |
| 2002 | 687.3 kilograms per person | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 683.71 kilograms per person | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 627.14 kilograms per person | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 657 kilograms per person | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 667.64 kilograms per person | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 746.55 kilograms per person | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 659.83 kilograms per person | -11.6% |
| 2009 | 436.73 kilograms per person | -33.8% |
| 2010 | 572.48 kilograms per person | +31.1% |
| 2011 | 517.51 kilograms per person | -9.6% |
| 2012 | 458.68 kilograms per person | -11.4% |
| 2013 | 505.98 kilograms per person | +10.3% |
| 2014 | 558.15 kilograms per person | +10.3% |
| 2015 | 629.45 kilograms per person | +12.8% |
| 2016 | 639.53 kilograms per person | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 721.38 kilograms per person | +12.8% |
| 2018 | 771.67 kilograms per person | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 749.98 kilograms per person | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 329.14 kilograms per person | -56.1% |
| 2021 | 363.93 kilograms per person | +10.6% |
| 2022 | 661.45 kilograms per person | +81.8% |
| 2023 | 725.47 kilograms per person | +9.7% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 725.47 kilograms per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 559.34 kilograms per person, 1.3× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 725.47 kilograms per person is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 174.27 kilograms per person, 4.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +81.8% | 363.93 kilograms per person | 661.45 kilograms per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 400.02 kilograms per person | 272.59 kilograms per person | 548.9 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 643.32 kilograms per person | 436.73 kilograms per person | 746.55 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 612.48 kilograms per person | 458.68 kilograms per person | 771.67 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 520 kilograms per person | 329.14 kilograms per person | 725.47 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More climate change data for Ireland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 320.11 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 18,098 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,665 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 14,433 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 13.83 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 515.47 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,902 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,899 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.17 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Ireland?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Ireland was 725.47 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 771.67 kilograms per person in 2018.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 272.59 kilograms per person in 1992.
- How does Ireland rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- Ireland ranks 25th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.