In the report of the Joint Committee on Climate Action, Climate Change: A Cross-Party Consensus for Action, March 2019, the Committee recommended that Irish climate change policy reflects the latest scientific consensus as represented by the IPCC 2018 Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C. The Committee recommends that new climate change legislation include a target of net-zero economy-wide GHG emissions by 2050.
The Climate Change Advisory Council advised Government on a 2050 target. The Council considers that while all GHGs are important, a one-size fits all approach is not always appropriate and that based on analysis by the IPCC, it is not necessary that emissions of biogenic methane should reach net-zero.
The new Programme for Government commits to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through full decarbonisation and net-sequestration, while recognising that not all greenhouse gases will be treated in the same way. The differential effort required across sectors will be decided in the context of setting carbon budgets, informed by appropriate advice and analysis and grounded in the legal process to be outlined in the Climate Action (Amendment) Bill.