Greenhouse gas emissions from road users have almost doubled over the last seven years, driving the State's overall emissions up by nearly 22 per cent.
According to statistics released today by the Central Statistics Office, emissions from the transport sector grew by 94 per cent between 1994 and 2001.
In 2001, this sector of the economy accounted for 17.9 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions. The food and forestry industries were the highest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions that year with 29.2 per cent. This figure is marginally down on 1994.
Industry was the next highest emitter of greenhouse gases with 20.5 per cent, up almost a third in the last seven years.
A recent surge in house building has seen greenhouse gas emissions from housing rise 6.2 per cent. They now make up approximately a sixth of all emissions.
The CSO study found that acid raid-causing pollutants dropped over the same seven-year period by 6.2 per cent.
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