Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2020
29. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the energy activities he envisages will be included in the new definition of emissions in the proposed climate action Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31967/20]
View answerThe purpose of the Bill is to amend the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 and provide for a significantly strengthened statutory framework for more effective governance of the State’s climate objectives, as well as underpinning targeted strategies, plans and actions to realise our national, EU and international climate goals and obligations.
Section 2 of the Bill, as published on 7 October, introduces into Section 1 of the Act a revised definition of ‘emissions’ which is:
“ ‘emissions’ means, in relation to greenhouse gases, emissions of those gases into the earth’s atmosphere attributable to industrial, agricultural, energy or other anthropogenic activities, in the State”.
The revised definition aims to improve the overall clarity and meaning of the existing definition - it does not change the scope of the definition.
It is important to note that energy sector emissions have been addressed through a range of sectoral actions to lower emissions under the National Mitigation Plan 2017, the Climate Action Plan 2019, and the National Energy and Climate Plan. The sector will remain a key focus of future emissions reduction efforts under actions to be included in the update to the Climate Action Plan in 2021 and, as with all sectors of the economy, will be subject to sectoral targets under carbon budgets which will be prepared and updated every 5 years.
