Data published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has revealed the biggest yearly reduction in energy related CO2 emissions since 2011.

CO2 emissions from fossil fuels used for energy fell by 4.5% in 2019. Most of the progress was in electricity generation, with little improvement in heat and transport.

The fall in CO2 emissions was mostly due to a 70% year-on-year reduction in coal used for generating electricity. Energy used for heat in homes and businesses was down in 2019, though most of the reduction was due to it being warmer than 2018. Transport, the sector that consumes most fossil fuels and where we emit most CO2, showed no reduction in energy use, and only a marginal reduction in CO2 emissions.

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Jim Scheer, Head of Data and Insights at SEAI said: "The progress we are making in electricity illustrates how replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy leads to emissions reductions – a direct climate action. Increased focus is now being given to how to reduce, and eventually eliminate fossil fuels from heating and transport."