Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2015

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Questions (573)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

573. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that the rationale for the absence of greenhouse gas reduction targets in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015 is that Ireland already is subject to binding European Union targets, and that the Minister is on record as stating these same targets are unrealistic and unachievable (details supplied), whether he currently is lobbying for changes to the binding European Union targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9221/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Pursuant to the EU’s Effort Sharing Decision of 2009 (Decision No 406/2009/EC of 23 April 2009), Ireland has legally binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets in the period from 2013 to 2020, inclusive. Moreover, negotiations are currently in progress at an EU level to agree GHG mitigation targets for all Member States, including Ireland, for the period from 2021 to 2030. This process of GHG mitigation target setting is likely to continue up to the year 2050. Putting in place our own GHG mitigation targets would cut across and interfere with this EU target-setting process. Our focus, therefore, is on putting in place appropriate and proportionate mitigation policy measures across the sectors with the most significant emissions, as provided for in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015.

As negotiations on the EU’s Effort Sharing Decision concluded in 2009 and cannot now be re-opened, our efforts are focused on engaging with the European Commission and Member States on proposals in respect of national GHG mitigation targets up to 2030 that are fair, transparent and cost-effective, taking due account of Member States’ specific circumstances and mitigation capacities.