Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2024
175. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to indicate the success to date in meeting carbon reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3677/24]
View answerThe most recent provisional emissions inventory figures, published by the EPA in July 2023, show that Ireland's emissions fell by just under 2% between 2021 and 2022. This fall was driven in part 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.
These emissions reductions are also accompanied by encouraging trends in our patterns of fossil fuel consumption. According to the EPA’s latest greenhouse gas emissions inventory, published in July 2023, our use of coal for electricity fell 16%, oil fell 29% and peat fell 25% in 2022. Our interconnectors are working displacing high carbon fuel with lower carbon imports. Our nitrogen fertiliser use fell by 14% in 2022, and emissions from residential heating fell by almost 13% as we used less coal, peat, kerosene and natural gas to heat our homes. It is expected that this year Ireland's emissions will fall at an accelerating rate, given lower energy use in most sectors and lower emissions in agriculture.
These positive recent developments in part reflect the increased ambition of Ireland's climate policy over recent years. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2021 commits Ireland to a legally binding target of a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050, and a reduction in emissions of 51% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. Our recent emissions reductions do at least demonstrate Ireland's ability to reverse its emissions trends and start to build momentum towards meeting our ambitious abatement objectives, though the latest projections of Ireland's future emissions trends from the EPA highlight the significant challenge we will face in meeting these targets.
Ireland's latest Climate Action Plan, Climate Action Plan 2024, supports our ambitious decarbonisation programme by setting out an updated roadmap of policies, measures and actions that we will deliver in support of our climate commitments and emissions reduction targets. It takes account of the latest emissions reports, and accelerates and amplifies our climate action, fully involving other Departments across Government and key external stakeholders.
