Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 July 2020
24. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to maintain the reduction in Ireland's emissions seen during the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16046/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out our ambition to more than halve our carbon emissions over the course of the decade. The action we take in the coming years will be critical in order to address the climate crisis, which threatens our safe future on this planet.
As Minister for Climate Action, I will lead on delivering our shared commitment to achieve an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030, and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The 2050 target will be set in law by the Climate Action Bill, which I will introduce in the Dáil within the first 100 days of government.
With the pandemic ongoing, we still have not seen and do not know the full extent of its impact. While the drop-off in economic activity and travel will lead to reductions in both greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, the true emissions impact, including by sector, will only be visible when the EPA publishes Ireland’s 2020 Provisional Inventory figures in October 2021.
In the meantime, work on projection scenarios is under way to better understand the potential impacts. The EPA is working closely with its regular data providers to gather and examine indicator data that could provide some insights into the impact of the pandemic on Ireland’s emissions. Furthermore, the ESRI’s research, funded by my Department, on The Environmental and Economic Impacts of the COVID-19 Crisis on the Irish Economy, was published on 3 July 2020. This analysis shows a decline of economy wide CO2 emissions by 9.5% in 2020, but an increase thereafter as the economy recovers.
This highlights both the importance and challenge of ensuring that we do not follow emissions trends of the past as we emerge from this crisis. Our economic recovery plan must be fully consistent with the decarbonising economic transformation required over the coming decade. With the increased scale and depth of our climate ambition, new strategies will be needed to sustain a reduction trajectory that will increase over time. I will work with colleagues across government to develop a new Climate Action Plan before year end, with additional initiatives in every sector to bring about the significant change needed to transform our society.
While this will be challenging, requiring fundamental changes in how we live our lives, we will improve the health, welfare and security of our society, as well as realising significant economic benefits. The Government is committed to ensuring that the economic recovery is a green recovery.
