Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the way in which Ireland compares with each other member state of the European Union in meeting carbon reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35412/20]
View answerEmissions from large industry in Ireland are regulated through the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The EU ETS works on the 'cap and trade' principle. A cap is set on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by installations covered by the system. The cap is reduced over time so that total emissions fall. The 2020 target in the EU ETS is an EU-wide one, requiring emissions from the sector to be cut by 21% from 2005 levels. The EU is on track to surpass this target. The 2009 Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC (ESD) set binding annual emissions targets for Member States for the period 2013-2020 for sectors outside the EU Emissions Trading System. According to the latest European Environment Agency Report, ten Member States (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and Poland) are projected to miss their 2020 ESD target. The latest projections of greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland, developed by the Environmental Protection Agency in July 2020, indicate that emissions from those sectors of the economy covered by Ireland's 2020 target could be around 2-4% below 2005 levels by 2020, compared to our target of a 20% reduction below 2005 levels.
The ESD allows Member States to meet their targets by means of unused emissions allowances from earlier years, or through purchasing allowances from other Member States, or on international markets. Ireland expects to make use of banked allowances from earlier years and purchase additional credits on international markets in order to comply with the ESD.
