Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 May 2017
642. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the specific actions she has undertaken under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 to contribute to the national mitigation plan. [25698/17]
View answerThe objective of Ireland’s first National Mitigation Plan is to set out a broad trajectory to compliance with EU targets on greenhouse gas reductions across all sectors of the economy, as mandated under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act (2015).
My Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation is continuing to play its part in the process behind the National Mitigation Plan by contributing specific areas for inclusion in the Plan that deal with enabling the transition and maximising enterprise opportunities. We are inputting in particular in areas of opportunity, including: resource efficiency, green public procurement, green finance, eco-construction and, importantly, research, development and innovation.
Maintaining and improving competitiveness in light of the climate change challenge is a critical consideration from an enterprise perspective. There are positive competitiveness opportunities, as well as threats. For example, improving access to quality rail freight services and further extensions of the natural gas grid will assist smaller, indigenous companies currently using oil as their primary fuel source to reduce their carbon footprint. Furthermore, measures focused on other EU targets with which Ireland must comply, such as renewable energy, will have positive spin-offs for industry: renewable heat options (e.g. biomass boilers, combined heat and power) are seen as key ways for both the commercial and industrial sector to decarbonise further.
In addition to contributing to the National Mitigation Plan, my Department is actively engaged on proposed revisions to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which covers over a quarter of Ireland's total greenhouse gas footprint. My officials are working closely with the Permanent Representation in Brussels to ensure that the various amendments proposed by the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament, to commence in Phase IV of the Scheme from 2020, do not harm Ireland's competitiveness, whilst ensuring the Scheme is strengthened going forward.
Following a public consultation in March and April, I understand that work on the development of the first National Mitigation Plan is now nearing completion, and it is intended to submit it to Government for approval in the next two weeks. The draft Plan has been prepared in close collaboration across all relevant Government Departments and, in particular, with the key Ministers responsible for the four sectors covered by the Plan: Electricity Generation; the Built Environment; Transport; and Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use. This work has been overseen by an inter-Departmental National Mitigation Plan Steering Group, on which DJEI participates, as well as by both a Senior Officials Group, and the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, Climate Action and the Environment. Technical support has been provided by all sectors via the Technical Research, Analysis and Modelling (TRAM) Group on which my Department is also actively engaged.
Officials from my Department recently met with the Secretariat to the National Climate Change Advisory Council, following publication of the draft National Mitigation Plan. This was a fruitful discussion during which my Departmental officials set out a 'direction of travel' on climate change policy from an enterprise perspective, including a vision of the green enterprise opportunities that arise from the hugely challenging task of decarbonising our economy by as much as 80% of 2005 greenhouse gas levels by 2050. I understand that all input received from the Advisory Council has been considered in finalising the National Mitigation Plan.
My Department will continue to contribute to the National Mitigation Plan by ensuring that any actions that have a bearing on the enterprise sector are implemented with a view to maximising the enterprise and competitiveness opportunities. In addition, DJEI will continue to play a strong role in advising the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment on the ongoing revisions to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
