Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ireland
Ireland: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 5.64 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▼ Falling
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ireland, 1998–2024
Source: Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
The most recent figure for exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ireland is 5.64 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ireland peaked at 8.35 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003 and was at its lowest, 5.09 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2017.
That places Ireland 179th out of 240 regions with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.71 micrograms per cubic meter | 6.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.07 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 6.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.09 micrograms per cubic meter | 7.27 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 176 Western Sahara 5.82 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 177 Norway 5.81 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 178 Mauritius 5.69 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 180 Isle of Man 5.5 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 181 Solomon Islands 5.49 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 182 Sweden 5.2 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Ireland
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 59.68 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 11.06 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 15.58 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.0879 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 1.23 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0115 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 18.11 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0209 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0087 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.16 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ireland?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Ireland was 5.64 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, according to Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 8.35 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.09 micrograms per cubic meter in 2017.
- How does Ireland rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Ireland ranks 179th out of 240 regions with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to air pollution from human sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual population-weighted average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can pose significant health risks. This data excludes natural sources of PM2.5, such as dust and sea salt, to focus on human-caused pollution.