Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
68. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if, as part of the target of reducing 51% of emissions over 12 years includes specific annual targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42563/21]
View answerThe Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, establishes a legally binding framework with clear targets and commitments set in law, and provides that the necessary structures and processes are embedded on a statutory basis to ensure Ireland achieves its national, EU and international climate goals and obligations in the near and long term.
The Act requires Government to adopt a series of economy-wide five-year carbon budgets, including sectoral targets for each relevant sector, on a rolling 15-year basis, starting in 2021.
The first two five-year carbon budgets proposed by the CCAC will equate to a total reduction of 51% in emissions over the period to 2030, in line with the Programme for Government commitment.
The policies and measures to achieve the targets in these Budgets and Sectoral Emission Ceilings will be set out in the Climate Action Plan due to be published in autumn 2021 and will be updated annually thereafter.
The Carbon Budgets called for by the Act are for five-year periods and will not set targets for individual years. However, Ireland has parallel obligations under European Law which do set annual limits on carbon emissions.
