Publication of Northern Ireland Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2008

The latest Northern Ireland Greenhouse Gas Inventory figures are now available.

A statistical bulletin released today outlines the key Northern Ireland figures from the “Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, 1990-2008.”

Greenhouse gas emissions are presented based on two main inventories, namely, ‘Production/Source’ and ‘End-User’. The first of these relates to activities producing greenhouse gas emissions whereas the latter attributes the emissions to where the energy is actually consumed.

This information release is published on the Department of Environment website and the full UK report can be accessed through the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory website:

Emissions are reported according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) source categories. The key points for the 1990 – 2008 Northern Ireland inventories are:

Production/Source Inventory

In 2008, Northern Irish emissions of the basket of six greenhouse gases are estimated to be 22,186 kilotonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (kt CO2e). This is 11.2% lower than the base year. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas, and accounted for 72.9% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Northern Ireland in 2008 (16,171 kt CO2e). In 2008 the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions were transport (23.3%), agriculture (20.8%), energy supply (22.0%), and residential combustion (17.5%) Transport emissions have increased by 38.8% since the 1990 base year, whereas each of the other sectors has seen a decreasing trend in emissions since the 1990 base year. Northern Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions account for 3.5% of the total UK greenhouse gas emissions. Within this however, Northern Ireland accounts for 7% of both the UK’s methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (NO2) emissions. This is due to emissions from agriculture being much more significant in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK.

End-User Inventory

The total greenhouse gas emissions for Northern Ireland in 2008 using the end-user inventory, excluding exports emissions, were 22,861 kt CO2e. This is a decrease of 11.1% on the base year. Exports refer to the emissions associated with the production of fuel or electricity which is then exported from NI or used as fuel for international aviation or shipping. There are three sectors that account for almost three quarters of the total greenhouse gas end-user emissions in 2008. These are residential (26.3%), transport (24.9%), and agriculture (22.7%). As in the production inventory, transport has seen a significant increase since the base year, with emissions having increased by 35.9% compared to the base year. The majority of other sectors have either shown a decreasing trend or remained steady. Residential sector emissions have experienced the biggest absolute decrease, falling by 1,063 kt CO2e since 1990, reflecting a shift in the fuel mix in the domestic sector, i.e. increase in natural gas usage. In 2008 Northern Ireland accounted for 3.7% of the UK’s greenhouse gas end-user emissions, excluding exports emissions.

Reduction Target & Performance

The Programme for Government sets a target of a reduction of 25% in greenhouse gas source emissions by 2025 based on 1990 levels. By 2008 the level of reduction in Northern Ireland was 11.2%. The trends in greenhouse gas source emissions since the Base year for the UK countries are summarised below, but it should be noted that estimates for the individual countries are less certain than the overall UK estimate. England has reduced emissions by 21.1%. Scotland has reduced emissions by 21.3%. Wales has reduced emissions by 9.9%. Northern Ireland has reduced emissions by 11.2 %.

Notes to editors:

1. This is the first release of the Northern Ireland Greenhouse Gas Inventory Statistical Bulletin, and will be updated annually. The estimates are produced by AEA on behalf of the Department for Energy and Climate Change, The Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and The Northern Ireland Department of the Environment.
2. Each year the greenhouse gas inventory is extended and updated, and the whole historical data series is revised to incorporate methodological improvements and new data. This takes into account revisions to the datasets which have been used in its compilation. It is therefore not appropriate to compare the Inventory from one year with figures taken from another year’s Inventory. However, the latest Inventory represents a single consistent data series going back to 1990, and this can be used to examine trends.
3. There is always going to be some level of uncertainty in the estimates of greenhouse gas emissions, and this uncertainty changes from year-to-year as the methodology and input data of the inventories changes. These uncertainties are presented as confidence intervals and such figures are contained within the main UK report. The width of the confidence interval gives us some idea about how uncertain we are about the estimate. The confidence intervals associated with each Devolved Administration’s figures will be wider, i.e. less certain than for the overall UK estimate.
4. UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory National Statistics User Guide provides a simple guide to the origins and use of data in the compilation of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. This guide can be accessed through the Department of Energy and Climate Change website,
5. For further information please contact: Central Statistics and Research Branch, Room 4.02, Clarence Court, 10 - 18 Adelaide Street, Belfast BT2 8GB. Tel (public enquiries): 028 9054 0877 E-mail: csrb@drdni.gov.uk
6. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.