Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
222. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps being taken to produce the annual Climate Action Plan; when the public consultation on same will be released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29578/22]
View answerThe climate ambition in the Programme for Government has been placed on a statutory footing through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, which was signed into law in July 2021. The Act commits Ireland to achieve a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050, and provides for a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. The significantly strengthened legally binding framework under the Act also ensures delivery of successive Climate Action Plans, as well as National Long-term Climate Action Strategies, and National Adaptation Frameworks,To deliver on the ambition set out in the Act, the Government published the Climate Action Plan 2021 last November. The 2021 Plan identifies the actions necessary to achieve our emissions reductions targets for each sector of the economy, based on their respective starting points, and the relative challenges and benefits, of reducing emissions. In the coming months my Department will engage proactively with the public, key stakeholders, and other Government Departments to prepare this year’s Climate Action Plan, which I expect to publish before the end of the year. It is envisaged that this will be the first statutory plan under the 2021 Act, fully reflecting the sectoral emission ceilings which the Government intends to adopt shortly.In terms of public engagement, there will be a particular focus on engaging with those who may be vulnerable to the transition to carbon neutral society, and those who have not yet engaged in climate discourses. This will be achieved this through an online public consultation, focus groups with specific populations, workshops with Public Participation Networks, and a range of stakeholder interviews. My Department is in the final stages of planning this detailed programme of engagement activities and expect to launch the consultation in the coming weeks.
