Emissions data send Government into spin mode via IrishTimesBiz
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications immediately weighed in to explain that the Eurostat figures were not based on the real emissions inventory collated by the Environmental Protection Agency here, but inferred from “predictor variables” such as production and GDP , which correlate historically with emissions.
“Using GDP as a measure can have a distorting effect in Ireland due to the large number of multinationals based here,” a department spokeswoman said. And it’s not just Ryanair – there are several other airlines based here, driving up our emissions tally. “The emissions by Irish resident airlines are accounted for, even if the emissions are emitted outside Irish territory,” Eurostat said.
The EPA’s last full-year audit pointed to a 5.2 per cent increase in emissions in 2021 compared to 2020, suggesting the State’s carbon budget limits up to 2025, agreed under the Government’s climate action plan, are already looking shaky.The increase in 2021 was driven by lower-than-expected wind energy and the temporary shutdown of two ESB gas plants at Huntsdown and Whitegate, which necessitated a greater call on Moneypoint’s coal burning operation.
The scope of the carbon market for aviation is controversial. While the bulk of emissions come from long-haul flights, these aren’t covered by the EU emissions trading system , a system that makes companies pay for the cost of emitting polluting carbons.
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