Our latest data reveals a rise in CO₂ emissions in the Irish fleet. In 2021, Cartell looked at the state of CO₂ emissions in the private transport sector for the first 10 months of the year and compared the results to the first ten months of the year for each year since 2003. In November the international GOP26 stressed the urgent need for Governments to introduce measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including in the private transport sector.

Unfortunately Cartell can report that the situation has deteriorated over the last 12 months and the gains which we noted were recorded in 2020 have not been consolidated in respect of our emission of CO₂. In a development for Government there has been an upturn in the average CO₂ emissions of new vehicles sold in Ireland: in 2021 average emissions increased recording a reading of 112g CO₂ /km*. This is a level equivalent to what was recorded in 2018 and far above the level of 105g CO₂ /km that Cartell observed for the equivalent period last year.

Graph 1: Average CO₂   of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2021 for first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October (Source: Cartell Carstat)

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Table 1: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2021 for  first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Date	CO2
2003-11-01	165
2004-11-01	166
2005-11-01	165
2006-11-01	165
2007-11-01	163
2008-11-01	157
2009-11-01	144
2010-11-01	133
2011-11-01	128
2012-11-01	124
2013-11-01	120
2014-11-01	117
2015-11-01	114
2016-11-01	112
2017-11-01	112
2018-11-01	113
2019-11-01	114
2020-11-01	105
2021-11-01	112

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Why has there been an increase this year?

Cartell.ie considered the data further for each of the various vehicle price segments to see which segment is performing the best and which the worst. Surprisingly, the best segment, showing the lowest CO₂ emissions, was the most expensive segment considered – vehicles over €60,000 in value. This segment brought in average emissions of just 90 CO₂ /km down from 127 CO₂ /km for the equivalent period last year. The worst performing segment for emissions were those vehicles at the other end of the scale – vehicles priced at €20,000 or less recorded a figure of 122 CO₂ /km. The segment breakdown was as follows:

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Table 2: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2021 for  first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October by price segment (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Price Segment	CO2
Less than €20k	122
€20k to 30k	117
€30k to 40k	106
€40k to 60k	114
Greater than €60k	90

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Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead Cartell.ie, says:

“We are looking exclusively at new vehicles sold in Ireland and not at imported vehicles. It is unfortunate that the figures for CO₂ /km in the private transport sector are increasing, just when we thought things had shifted in a favourable direction. The Government will have to seriously consider these results which show that it is the cheaper new cars which are doing the damage – CO₂ /km for new cars priced less than €20,000 are the highest of any segment. The reason for this is pretty straightforward: Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles are bringing down the overall level of emissions in the more expensive segments. Until the price of these vehicle types reduces we face an uphill battle in bringing down fleet CO₂ /km any further. At the other end of the market, these results show that those with cash to splurge on an expensive car are thinking about the environment: this is one good thing to come out of these findings.”

*WLTP