Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 January 2015
31. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures that the Government plans to take in order to achieve the 80% reduction in emissions on 1990 levels by 2050, in line with our EU commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3645/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe extent of the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our EU commitments, is well understood by Government, as reflected in the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development, published in April 2014 , and in the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill 2015, published last week. The National Policy Position provides a high-level policy direction for the adoption and implementation by Government of plans to enable the State to move to a low-carbon economy by 2050. Proposed statutory authority for the plans is set out in the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill 2015.
In anticipation of enactment of the planned legislation, work is already underway on developing a low-carbon plan - the National Mitigation Plan - the primary objective of which will be to track implementation of measures already underway and identify additional measures over the longer term to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and progress the overall national low carbon transition agenda to 2050. I am satisfied that Ireland is on course to comply with the annual mitigation targets under the 2009 EU Effort-Sharing Decision (406/2009/EC) in the first half of the 2013-2020 compliance period. However, there will be a significant compliance challenge in the years 2017-2020 and therefore the first iteration of the National Mitigation Plan will place particular focus on putting the necessary measures in place to address the challenge arising in that period, but also in terms of planning ahead to ensure that appropriate policies and measures will be in place beyond that. It is also important to note that the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill will provide for long - term successive planning in this respect.
The general public and stakeholders have already had opportunities to submit views on the sectoral elements of the planned National Mitigation Plan in previous public participatory processes over the last year or so. In continuing my commitment to openness and inclusiveness, I will shortly be inviting the views of the public and stakeholders on the preparation of the National Mitigation Plan currently being developed. I look forward to receiving input from all interested parties on how we might address the specific challenges ahead and harness the opportunities as Ireland moves towards a low-carbon sustainable economic future.
