Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2023
383. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the progress to retain and strengthen climate action policy objectives in the implementation and forthcoming review of the national planning framework, as outlined in the climate action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31062/23]
View answerFrom a national planning policy perspective, the National Planning Framework (NPF) provides a means to implement and integrate climate change objectives at national, regional and local levels and to support the transition to a low carbon and climate resilient society. The NPF states clearly that "in addition to legally binding targets agreed at EU level, it is a national objective for Ireland to transition to be a competitive low carbon, economy by the year 2050".
The NPF strategy is at an early stage in its implementation. The associated Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) were adopted in 2019 and 2020, which each contain a number of ambitious policy objectives to ensure emissions can be reduced and targets met. The review of city and county development plans to align with the NPF is nearing completion.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act was enacted in 2021 with a commitment to a binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% and increase the share of electricity generated from renewable sources by up to 80% over the decade (2021 – 2030), and to achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The Climate Action Plan 2023 was published on 21 December 2022 with the supplementary Annex of Actions published in March 2023. The plan implements the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings identifying actions have to ensure that Ireland achieves a reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and also to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050.
Planning legislation (Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended)) recognises the importance of the NPF in establishing a broad national framework for strategic planning and sustainable development of urban and rural areas to secure balanced regional development and co-ordination of plans at regional and local level. The Act requires the Government to either revise, replace or state why the Government has decided not to revise, every 6 years after the publication of the NPF.
The Government approved the commencement of the process to revise the National Planning Framework (NPF) and publish the Roadmap for this First Revision on 20 June 2023. The Roadmap outlines the process and timeline for the revision, details can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/deef6-a-road-map-for-the-first-revision-of-the-national-planning-framework/
The roadmap identifies climate action as one of the key drivers for consideration as part of the revision process, having regard to policy and legislative changes since 2018. The Department will be engaging with officials from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications as part of the revision process to consider what changes to the NPF are required in this regard, and with other key stakeholders as part of the Planning Advisory Forum engagement. Full public consultation on the draft NPF revision strategy will take place later in 2023 and will include consideration of climate action policy objectives.
