The study assesses the global energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with irrigation, highlighting the significant environmental impacts of this practice. Currently, irrigation contributes 216 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions and consumes 1896 petajoules of energy annually, representing 15% of greenhouse gas emissions and energy used in agricultural operations. Groundwater pumping, despite only accounting for 40% of irrigated agriculture, accounts for 89% of total energy consumption in irrigation. Future expansion of irrigation could lead to a 28% increase in energy usage. However, adopting highly efficient and low-carbon irrigation methods has the potential to reduce energy consumption by half and CO₂ emissions by 90%. The study also explores the feasibility of various mitigation interventions and their potential to reduce CO₂ emissions within irrigation systems, considering country-specific conditions. The research provides valuable insights into the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with irrigation, contributing to the development of effective strategies for sustainable agricultural practices.The study assesses the global energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with irrigation, highlighting the significant environmental impacts of this practice. Currently, irrigation contributes 216 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions and consumes 1896 petajoules of energy annually, representing 15% of greenhouse gas emissions and energy used in agricultural operations. Groundwater pumping, despite only accounting for 40% of irrigated agriculture, accounts for 89% of total energy consumption in irrigation. Future expansion of irrigation could lead to a 28% increase in energy usage. However, adopting highly efficient and low-carbon irrigation methods has the potential to reduce energy consumption by half and CO₂ emissions by 90%. The study also explores the feasibility of various mitigation interventions and their potential to reduce CO₂ emissions within irrigation systems, considering country-specific conditions. The research provides valuable insights into the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with irrigation, contributing to the development of effective strategies for sustainable agricultural practices.