An Post Reaches Emissions Milestone 3 Months Early

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An Post, the postal service of Ireland, announced this week that it has cut its carbon emissions by 50 percent compared to 2009 levels and done so three months earlier than planned. The reduction comes even as An Post has seen its volume grow by 27 percent. In 2025, it delivered a total of 73 million items.

An Post’s 2025 Sustainability Report, released on May 19, 2025, showed the company has continued to make significant progress in carbon emission reductions and green energy usage. The achievement of a 50 percent reduction in emissions means An Post is one of the first national postal carriers in the world to reach this milestone while simultaneously growing its business and profits.

Original Emissions Target Brought Forward

The target of a 50 percent carbon dioxide emissions reduction by 2030 was originally established in 2017. However, in 2021, An Post moved the target forward to the end of 2025 because of the urgency of taking meaningful climate action in the pursuit of Ireland’s national sustainability goals.

By servicing 2.5 million delivery points every working day and serving up to 1 million customers a week in its post offices, the report showcases An Post’s wider efforts to accelerate its positive environmental and social impacts for communities across Ireland, the company said in a press release.

Today, 55 percent of the vehicles in the An Post fleet are either electric or powered by alternative fuels. So far this year, 575 new, larger EVs have been deployed, 30 percent of which replaced diesel vans. The remainder have replaced smaller, first-generation EVs which had lower battery range.

The Sustainability Report also shows that 95 percent of the heavy vehicles in the An Post fleet switched from diesel to renewable hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) in the fourth quarter of 2025. This required An Post to invest in HVO tanks and refueling infrastructure in its primary hubs, including Athlone, Dublin, and Portlaoise. HVO provides up to a 90 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per liter compared to conventional diesel. It also creates a quieter, healthier environment for communities and An Post employees.

While HVO is an improvement over diesel, Transport & Environment recently pointed out that it is significantly more expensive than an equivalent amount of electricity. Be that as it may, battery electric heavy trucks are still a challenge on routes where charging infrastructure is limited and the range of today’s offerings may be insufficient. An Post deserves credit for attempting to do the right thing in every category that makes economic and operational sense.

Top Ranked Internationally

An Post currently ranks fourth in the world in the International Postal Corporation Sustainability Measurement and Management System. It is actively committed to its wider ambition, which is to make sustainable living commonplace in Ireland. Many other postal services in Europe are also dedicated to pursuing low-carbon postal delivery strategies.

The Sustainability Report highlights the company’s leadership in the realm of the circular economy, particularly in relation to clothing and housewares, with more than 5 million items sold or donated via An Post’s digital platforms, post offices, pre-paid packaging, and delivery services in 2025. In line with its Green Light strategy, An Post will continue to innovate in support of reuse and recycle initiatives for consumers and businesses.

Running a postal service involves more than just delivery vehicles. An Post is actively pursuing strategies to decarbonize its building operations as well. 99 percent of its buildings are now powered by renewable energy. Its corporate headquarters in Dublin recorded a 250 MWh decrease in energy usage in 2025 as the result of the on-going optimization of heating and cooling systems in the building, which has attained LEAD Platinum status.

Sustainability Is Forever

David McRedmond, the CEO of An Post, said after the sustainability report was released: “The battle for sustainability never ends and the need is as great as ever. Extreme weather in Ireland brings home the real impact of global warming, which is why for my colleagues sustainability is not a fashion but an imperative.

“We are now over halfway to achieving our net-zero emissions goals by 2030. This is made possible by the fact that 99 percent of our buildings are now powered with green energy, upgrading BER, and introducing smart heating controls. In the midst of an energy crisis, we have continued to accelerate our environmental ambition in tandem with the ever-increasing demand for delivery services and fleet usage.

“An Post will continue to be a champion of sustainability whilst leading positive environmental change. It’s vital that we are able to move ahead at pace with constructing the e-commerce and postal sorting and delivery infrastructure for the future, to be funded from our own resources, once Government approval is received.”

Owen Keogh, the head of Sustainability for An Post, added: “Our latest Sustainability Report demonstrates how sustainability and commercial success can advance collectively. With 575 new, larger EVs being deployed in the first half of this year and a tighter focus on green energy optimization and support for circular economy initiatives, we continue to make great strides towards our Green Light Energy Goals.

“Net zero demands progress with pace and precision. We will continue to drive positive change across our community of customers, suppliers and staff while maximizing opportunities for growth in our e-commerce and financial services businesses.”

Sharp-eyed readers will note that while An Post and other similar organizations are embracing the future, in the US, the postal service is being whipsawed by an administration that favors burning as much fossil fuel as possible. Americans should be embarrassed that they have a post office that prioritizes creating emissions rather than reducing them.