Official Statistics: Carbon intensity indicators for Northern Ireland 2017

Emissions intensity is concerned with capturing the amount of CO2 equivalent generated per unit of output or per capita, rather than measuring absolute emissions levels. For example, power sector emissions per unit of electricity generated or total NI emissions per head of population. The value of taking such an approach is that, whilst overall emissions might be seen to be increasing for a particular sector in line with an expanding economy, the carbon intensity might actually be decreasing which could still be viewed as a positive outcome. The carbon intensity indicators are therefore another way of measuring the progress being made in NI towards reducing GHG emissions in terms of intensity as opposed to absolute emissions.