Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
110. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he is satisfied with the reliance on technological fixes for carbon removal in the climate action Bill; the division of labour he anticipates between same and emissions reductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35109/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits 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, including setting our 2050 target in law through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill. Delivering our increased ambition to 2030 will require a doubling of effort from that set out in the 2019 Climate Action Plan. The 2019 Climate Action Plan represented an annual average emissions reduction of 3.5% on an economy-wide basis, and indicated how this effort would be allocated across sectors in the non-ETS Sector (Transport, Energy, Built Environment, Industry). This included increased reliance on renewables from 30% to 70%, accelerated shift to EVs with target of 950,000 EVs on the road by 2030 and retrofits to approximately 500,000 homes of B2 BER rating. The next iteration of the Climate Action Plan will need to identify additional initiatives in every sector, beyond the 2019 Plan, to meet the increased scale and depth of our ambition.
While it is not possible to indicate the specific policies at this time, it will be informed by further detailed technical modelling and research, and require measures to reduce and remove greenhouse gases which offer the least burdens and the greatest opportunities in our pathway to decarbonise. Nature-based solutions and sustainable land management practices, such as carbon sinks and rewetting peatlands, will have a significant role in contributing to balancing certain greenhouse gases. These measures will be coupled with emerging technological means developed and identified over time.
The increased scale and depth of our climate ambition is consistent with the approach being discussed at EU level. Both domestically and at EU level, it is recognised that we are not yet in a position to identify all the emerging technologies, changing scientific consensus or policies to meet our full ambition. However, committed research in the area and the continued intensive updating of mitigation measures over the decade, and beyond, will ensure that we remain on course to achieve our climate ambition.
To this end, the Bill provides for a significantly strengthened climate governance structure which includes annual revisions to the Climate Action Plan to address the need for intensive and regular monitoring and updating of policy actions to ensure we remain on track and within our emission limits.
To ensure that Ireland is at the cutting edge of scientific and technological innovation in meeting our climate targets, the Programme for Government also commits to introducing a transformational programme of research and development. For 2020, my Department provided €12.5million to the EPA and SEAI to undertake research and development activities in the field of climate, energy and low carbon. Research funding is also provided to the Geological Survey Ireland for this area, which has an increased total budget of €1.65 million in 2020.
