Northern Ireland (NI) carbon intensity indicators 2025 are now
available.
This publication was produced by Statistics and Analytical
Services Branch in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and
Rural Affairs (DAERA) and contains carbon intensity and
supporting indicators. They have been released to complement the
emissions data available from the historic greenhouse gas
inventory and the NI greenhouse gas projections, and to help
Government track the effectiveness of carbon reduction policies.
The publication is available on the DAERA website at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/northern-ireland-carbon-intensity-indicators
The key points to note:
- Gross Value Added (GVA) is used to measure NI's economic
output, since 1998 it has grown substantially, while greenhouse
gas emissions have declined. The ratio of total greenhouse gas
emissions to GVA, in NI, decreased 76% from 1998 to 2023.
- In 2023, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity for NI was
estimated at around 0.32 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2)
equivalent per £ of GVA. In 1998 this figure stood at 1.34
kilograms.
- GHG emissions per capita decreased 43% from 16.6 tonnes CO2
equivalent per person in 1990 to 9.5 tonnes in 2023. The
population increased by 20% over this period, while greenhouse
gas emissions decreased by 31%
- GHG emissions per unit of electricity generated decreased 66%
from 658 grams CO2 per kWh in 2004 to 222 grams in 2023. This has
been driven by the growth of renewable energy generation in NI, a
shift away from coal use towards gas for electricity generation,
and improvements in energy efficiency.
- Residential GHG emissions per household have decreased 34%
from 3.70 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per household in 2008 to 2.45
tonnes in 2023. Fuel switching to natural gas from more
carbon-intensive fuels such as coal and oil has reduced
emissions, but more households create greater demand for energy.
- The average CO2 emissions from licensed cars has declined
over the years from 149.8 g/km in 2014 to 128.8g/km in 2024.
- Total emissions (excluding sequestration) related to milk
production decreased from an average of 1,927 grams of CO2
equivalent per kilogram of Energy Corrected Milk (ECM) in 1990 to
1155 grams in 2022. Whilst milk production in the dairy sector
has expanded by 85% since 1990, the total number of dairy cows
over this period has increased by only 13%, meaning this
improvement in carbon footprint has been driven by substantial
increases in milk yield per cow.
- Waste management emissions per capita have decreased 68% from
1,226 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per person in 1990 to 398
kilograms in 2023. The population increased by 20% over this
period while greenhouse gas emissions from waste management fell
by 61%, due in a large part to the introduction of methane
capture and oxidation systems at landfill sites.
Notes to editors:
- This is the tenth release of the NI Carbon Intensity
Indicators. It is intended that the indicators will be updated on
an annual basis.
- Rather than measuring absolute emissions levels, emissions
intensity is concerned with capturing the amount of CO2
equivalent generated per unit of output or per capita, e.g.,
power sector emissions per unit of electricity generated or total
NI emissions per head of population. The value of taking such an
approach is that, whilst overall emissions might be seen to be
increasing for a particular sector in line with an expanding
economy, the carbon intensity might actually be decreasing which
could still be viewed as a positive outcome. The carbon intensity
indicators are therefore another way of measuring the progress
being made in NI towards reducing greenhouse emissions in terms
of intensity as opposed to absolute emissions.
- The carbon intensity indicators are supplemented by a set of
associated proxy indicators which, whilst not intensity
indicators as such, are logically linked to emissions and/or
emissions intensity levels.
- This is an Official Statistics publication which follows the
Code of Practice for Statistics.
- The data in this report come from a range of sources. Sources
are stated below each table, and links are provided. Trend data
have been presented from as far back as practically available and
up to latest year available. In some cases data may only recently
become available. In such cases the current year will be the base
year with the trend building from that point onwards.
