Cork City Baseline Emissions Inventory 2023

Cork City Council has published an updated Baseline Emissions Inventory for 2023, providing a comprehensive picture of greenhouse gas emissions across the city and resetting a benchmark against which future progress can be measured.

The inventory estimates that Cork City's total emissions in 2023 were 968.5 kilo tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (ktCO₂e), slightly reduced from 2018 levels. Significantly, this stability has been achieved during a period of substantial population growth, increased housing delivery, and expanding economic activity across the city.

Per capita emissions have fallen by approximately 8% since 2018, reflecting the increasing share of renewable energy in Ireland's electricity supply.

While the latest findings show encouraging signs of progress, they also underline the scale of transformation required over the coming years. As one of Europe's Mission Cities, Cork has committed to achieving an ambitious 80% reduction in emissions by 2030.

Reduce your Energy Use at Home

There are about 70,000 homes in Cork city. Most use fossil fuels for heating and cooking. Because of this, our homes are the biggest source of greenhouse gases in the city.

A deep retrofit and a shift to renewable energy may be beyond your means, but there are things we can do to reduce our reliance on gas, oil, and coal. Whether you own your home or rent, you can reduce your energy costs, and it will also help our environment. When it comes to making our city greener, every little helps.

These tips won’t suit everyone so be sensible, especially if you have older or infirm people in your household.