Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
125. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of reports that the EPA and SEAI are only including Dublin Airport’s on-site operating emissions in their reports, that this would not include emissions driven by its core business (aviation) or any associated road traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1659/24]
View answerAs a public body, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) reports its energy consumption and energy-related emissions data to the SEAI annually via the SEAI’s monitoring and reporting system. The SEAI uses the data reported by each public body to track its progress towards 2030 energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for the public sector. The scope of energy consumption reportable by a public body for the energy efficiency target is the energy consumed by the public body in undertaking its activities and delivering its services. For an airport, this would exclude energy consumed by passengers or staff travelling to/from the airport and energy used by flights to/from the airport. The greenhouse gas emissions that are tracked by the SEAI are, therefore, the energy-related emissions arising from the energy consumption reported by the public body.
Dublin Airport is also a permitted entity under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) in respect of its on-site combined heat and power (CHP) plants, which are used to heat buildings across the airport. The EPA is responsible for administering the EU ETS in Ireland which includes issuing greenhouse gas permits. The permit requires the holder to monitor, report and verify their emissions to the EPA, and to purchase EU ETS allowances to cover those emissions.
Since 2012, the EU ETS also applies to aviation activities. This requires all airlines operating in the EU, regardless of ownership, to monitor, report and verify their emissions, and to purchase and surrender allowances against those emissions. This system ensures that the entity that is producing emissions is also required to pay for them, acting as an incentive for a reduction in emissions over time.
