Dublin faces complex emissions challenges as sea rises twice as fast as global average
The county’s big emissions come from transport, household heating, commercial emissions and the energy use of data centres
While some parts of Dublin were turned into a cyclist’s dream under the last government, the capital still has a long way to go to meet Amsterdam or Paris in cutting car pollution.
Like in Cork, Galway and Limerick, experts warn the coastal county won’t escape the devastation increasing greenhouse gases and rising seas could inflict on the infrastructure its 1.5 million people rely on. Flooding during Storm Bram proved that.
Dublin is by far the State’s most privileged city when it comes to public transport. There’s the Dart, the Luas, trains from every other major city, a huge bus network, new cycleways, and more projects on the horizon.
But the car remains king, even when it means daily tailbacks and massive emissions.
That could be because the pace of work to improve Dublin’s cycle network has been “very slow”, according to Dublin Cycling Campaign vice-co-ordinator Siobhán McNamara.
The long-mooted Strand Road route to complete the Sutton to Sandycove cycleway, and work to address pinch points along the Dodder, are just two examples.
Cycling campaigner Siobhán McNamara, pictured on the cycleway near Newcomen Bridge in Dublin. Photo: Frank McGrath
“Nobody’s saying everybody has to cycle for every journey, but there are a lot of people of all ages, all physical abilities, who can cycle and who would if the conditions are there,” Ms McNamara said.
“So having high-quality segregated infrastructure just opens it up to more people.”
Together, Dublin City Council (DCC), Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC), Fingal County Council (FCC) and South Dublin County Council (SDCC) were responsible for 6.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2018. That’s equivalent to about 10 million round-trip flights from Dublin to Athens.
According to the councils’ action plans, 36pc of the county’s emissions come from transport, so getting people out of their cars could be a climate “game-changer”.
“[Dedicated active travel department] teams are really making a difference, pushing each scheme through, but unless those teams are fully resourced, it won’t move at the pace we need,” Ms McNamara said.
The county’s other big emissions challenges come in the form of household heating, commercial emissions and the energy use of data centres.
A large proportion of Dublin's emissions come from data centres. Stock image: Getty
South county Dublin and the city itself are the biggest emitting areas in the county, with both hosting multiple cloud facilities for global tech giants.
In Dublin city, data centres account for 7pc of emissions. In south county Dublin, data centres and commercial facilities generate 46pc of emissions.
Data centres across the country use a fifth of the power in the national grid, as well huge amounts of water for cooling. Their climate impact is significant. That’s why SDCC passed a motion last September calling for them to be banned nationwide.
Jess Spear, Tallaght Central councillor, said at the time: “All the indications suggest this government is not going to take climate change seriously, and none more than their approach towards data centres.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, on the other hand, believes the “demonisation of data centres” must end and that we “can’t declare a moratorium on AI”.
Eamon Ryan, the former Green Party leader and environment minister, said the “AI revolution is an opportunity for Ireland and the planet”, because if we can develop zero-emissions data centres, the State will have skills the rest of the world needs.
Whatever happens in the sector, people across Dublin are already facing a raft of climate risks, with coastal areas becoming increasingly vulnerable to flooding.
SeaBees put in place to help reduce the force of waves along Portrane Beach, north Co Dublin. Photo by Steve Humphreys
Water levels in Dublin Bay are rising at double the global rate: 7mm to 8mm a year, as opposed to 3mm to 4mm.
That poses a real issue when it comes to protecting property, railways and infrastructure.
According to Sabrina Dekker, regional climate action co-ordinator for DCC, authorities will soon need to grapple with coastal property acquisition as the increasingly volatile and rising Irish sea eats away at the land.
Planned retreat, as it’s known, is when, rather than installing flood barriers and relief schemes, the government buys at-risk homes or land so owners can relocate .
The Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme was introduced in 2017 to address serious flooding. Out of 174 potentially eligible homes, just 31 were given offers of financial help to relocate. Only 20 had accepted by September 2024.
Following floods in 2023, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns was told by then junior housing minister Kieran O’Donnell that there were no proposals to extend the scheme.
According to Ms Dekker, there are no frictionless solutions for a rapidly eroding coastline.
The rail network system is one of the solutions to reducing our carbon emissions, so it’s a double whammy if that’s not protected
“The challenge is people grew up on that street; they had all these memories on these streets,” she said. “Their family’s been here for generations and this is their identity. It’s not easy.”
In SDCC, climate experts say rising seas and coastal erosion are the most pressing challenge in coming years. In Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dart passengers could lose their view of the waves to protect tracks.
“The railway line headed to Wexford is a major piece of infrastructure that is exposed to a lot of challenges along the coast,” said Richard Fitzpatrick, climate action officer for DLRCC.
The council and Irish Rail are working together on the €230m East Coast Railway Infrastructure Protection Projects to protect the network.
Mr Fitzpatrick added: “In our area, you will see certain high tides, wind and storm conditions, which lead to the inundation of the sea on to the Dart line.
“The rail network system is one of the solutions to reducing our carbon emissions, so it’s a double whammy if that’s not protected.”
Clondalkin is the designated decarbonisation zone for South Dublin County Council. Photo: Getty
Fionnghuala Ryan, climate action co-ordinator at SDCC, said the council is beginning to see “increased rainfall and severe rainstorms” impact their area.
As a result, the council is having to look to parks, rivers and canals to act as buffer zones or natural drainage systems.
Severe floods in 2011 prompted SDCC, DCC and the OPW to start on flood alleviation projects in the River Poddle, River Camac and Whitechurch Stream.
It is hoped that the work, alongside proactive projects to cut emissions in decarbonising zones, will make a difference.
Clondalkin and Balbriggan have been named as SDCC and FCC’s decarbonising zones, respectively. In Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, a 7km stretch between Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire has been designated. Dublin city has named two zones: Ballymun and Ringsend.
Ms Ryan said: “We have a range of projects to work on with people in decarbonised zones around transport and upgrading their homes. We are upgrading our own social housing stock and working on increasing the biodiversity in each area.”
Transport is also a focus. Mr Fitzpatrick said: “Work will need to be focused around transport-based pollution and emissions from cars and private vehicles.”