Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
113. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the latest EPA report on Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions (details supplied); his views, moreover, on the 12.4% annual emissions reduction from 2023-2025 that will be required to stay within budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36711/23]
View answerThe latest EPA report regarding provisional data for GHG emissions, in the period 1990 to 2022, shows that Ireland's emissions fell by 1.2% in 2022, compared to 2021 levels. This reduction was driven by higher fuel prices, reduced use of nitrogen fertiliser, increased renewable energy, behavioural change and regulation, with reductions observed in our Agriculture, Industry, Energy and Residential sectors.
While the overall emissions fall short of what is required to stay within our carbon budgets, this does show that we can reverse the previous trajectory of emissions, and decouple them from economic activity.
The EPA report shows that we have now used almost half of our carbon budget for 2021 to 2025 within the first 2 years. This means that we need to ramp up decarbonisation in the coming years to stay within our carbon budgets and meet our 2030 and 2050 targets.
The 2023 Climate Action Plan sets out our response – as a country – to the climate crisis, detailing the roadmap of policies, measures and actions we will deliver in support of our climate commitments and emissions reduction targets.
The next iteration of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan, due to for publication by the end of this year, will update the policies, measures and actions needed. It will take account of the latest emissions reports and will accelerate and amplify our climate action.
