Thomas Gould
Ceist:124. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications his plans in place to control the carbon output of large corporations. [35081/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 10 November 2020
Ceisteanna (124)
Freagraí scríofa
Emissions from large industry in Ireland are regulated through the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The EU ETS works on the 'cap and trade' principle. A cap is set on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by installations covered by the system. The cap is reduced over time so that total emissions fall. In 2030, emissions from sectors covered by the EU ETS will be cut by 43% from 2005 levels. In Ireland, our EU ETS sector accounts for 25% of our emissions, with the remaining 75% in the non-EU ETS sector. This compares to an EU average of 39% ETS and 61% non-EU ETS. Under the European Green Deal, the Commission presented in September 2020 an impact assessed plan to increase the EU’s greenhouse gas emission reduction target to at least 55% by 2030. By June 2021, the Commission will present legislative proposals to implement the new target, including revising and possibly expanding the EU ETS.
The Climate Action Plan published in June 2019 establishes ambitious targets for the enterprise sector and commits to a range of actions which will reduce the sector’s emissions. The plan includes a set of actions to ensure our enterprise agencies prioritise decarbonisation as part of their strategies.
The Programme for Government commits to devising a systematic programme of sectoral audits of the commercial and industrial sector to underpin, area by area, strategies to meet the new national climate targets. These will be developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders in those sectors to meet targets consistent with our national climate objectives.
In addition, the commitments in the Programme for Government which develop our energy system will directly impact the decarbonisation of our enterprise sector, including the target for 70% renewable electricity by 2030. These actions will also present new areas of opportunity for industry, such as the development of offshore renewables and introduction of new technologies.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland will have a key role in supporting industry to drive decarbonisation through measures to enable businesses reduce their energy use and emissions. Measures currently in place include, the Excellence in Energy Efficient Design programme, the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat, and a range of supports to companies in the Large Industry Energy Network.