I propose to take Questions Nos. 501 and 502 together.
I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 505, 507 and 508 of 19 February 2019.
In order to meet Ireland’s target for 2030 that we will reduce emissions in the non-ETS sector by 30%, and building on the framework put in place by both the National Mitigation Plan and the National Development Plan, I am currently developing an All of Government Climate Plan which will set out the actions which must be taken to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change. I am working with colleagues across Government to develop new initiatives in electricity, transport and heat, as well as a range of other sectors.
The All of Government Plan will have a strong focus on implementation, including actions with specific timelines and steps needed to achieve each action, assigning clear lines of responsibility for delivery. It will also be informed by successful approaches in other countries, where such approaches could be adapted for implementation in Ireland.
The EU has in place an ambitious set of greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets for the period to 2030 which are one of the most ambitious of any party to the Paris Agreement. These targets are supported by an underpinning policy framework at EU level in the key sectors of energy, buildings and transport, through the Climate and Energy legislative package. It is important that EU Member States now put in place the necessary domestic policy framework to enable them to deliver on their respective non-ETS targets which have only recently been finalised at EU level.
It is important that the EU is able to review its targets on a regular basis in the context of measuring progress towards their achievement. This is also important given the expectation that all parties to the Paris Agreement review and strengthen their commitments over time in order to meet the objectives of the Agreement.
