Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2021
77. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the recent Fiscal Advisory Council report which highlights the lack of details on cost and challenges in achieving Ireland’s 2030 and 2050 climate goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30208/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government recognises that the next ten years are critical if we are to address the climate and biodiversity crisis which threatens our safe future on this planet, and commits to an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030 (a 51% reduction over the decade) and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. While this will be challenging, it will lead to improvements in our health, welfare and security.
The level of change envisaged cannot be avoided, with the evidence for warming of our climate system and its destructive impact now beyond dispute. The EU recognises this, and aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, and be climate-neutral by 2050. This objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal and in line with the EU’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement.
In terms of the costs and challenges of a transformation of this scale, it is not possible to detail them all out to 2050. In fact the Programme for Government recognises that we are not yet in a position to identify all the emerging technologies, changing scientific consensus or policies to meet our full ambition. It is also recognised that the taxpayer cannot compensate for all the actions that have to be taken, and that it is essential the burdens borne are seen to be fair and that every group makes an appropriate level of effort.
The 2021 Climate Action Plan, which will give effect to the Programme for Government step-up in climate ambition, is to be completed this Summer. It will seek to identify the least cost pathways that minimise the burdens and maximise the opportunities of the transition to 2030 and beyond, including an estimation of overall economy-wide investment requirements. In parallel, the review of the National Development Plan is being completed to ensure that Exchequer capital investment aligns the acceleration in decarbonisation now required.
Public investment over the next decade on climate action will be set out in the review of the NDP which is well underway. The Programme for Government also commits to the allocation of carbon tax revenues to climate action. The national Economic Recovery Plan and the Recovery and Resilience Plan published by Government on 1 June have climate and green investments as core pillars. In addition, the EU’s €750 billion Next Generation EU recovery package and €1 trillion budget require that money can only be spent on projects that meet certain green criteria, with 30% of all funding to go on climate change mitigation.
It is also the case that failure to rapidly make the investments to move to a carbon-neutral economic model will have far reaching negative impacts on the economy and the public finances; undermine the long-term, sustainable competitiveness of the economy; and lock Ireland into a redundant fossil-fuel based economic model. Embracing the transition will support further job creation through the development of new and emerging sectors. The green economy, including the retrofitting and renewable energy sector, the circular economy, clean mobility, green and blue infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and the bio-economy will create high quality employment opportunities that will be a source of significant employment growth over the coming decades, as well as supporting a stable tax base.
