Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2023
85. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can clarify the Government’s plan to deal with recent EPA figures that show increases in CO2 emissions in the State, and that Ireland is the worst performer in the EU, according to EUROSTAT data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9972/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile full and final emissions data for 2022 is not yet available, recent reports from the EPA and Eurostat have indicated that Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2021 and may also have increased in 2022 as we emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. While EPA models for projected emissions are unable to take into account all policies and measures which have been committed to in our Climate Action Plans, the EPA’s reporting suggests a concerning trend which underlines the challenge of the climate crisis and the urgency with which we must respond.
Notwithstanding the anticipated increase in emissions in 2021 as the country emerged from the most severe Covid-19 restrictions, we must consider how to accelerate the measures and actions that will not only reduce our emissions but will also support new ways of conducting business and encouraging innovation. To reverse the current trajectory of emissions and meet our 2030 and 2050 targets, a significant shift is required in the speed at which we implement the policies, measures and actions that will decarbonise our economy and improve our indigenous supply of sustainable and renewable energy.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, significantly strengthens the legally binding framework for climate governance in Ireland, and the sectoral emissions ceilings set out a clear pathway for meeting our carbon budgets and Ireland’s commitment to a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030.
These ceilings are reflected in the Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23), which was published on 21 December 2022. CAP23 builds on the 2021 Plan and sets out the policies, measures and actions needed to keep us within our carbon budgets and on the pathway to a net zero-emissions economy by no later than 2050. The process to deliver CAP23 included my Department engaging with other Government Departments, State Agencies and civil society to identify opportunities for accelerating climate action.
The establishment of delivery task forces to accelerate and drive climate action delivery in a number of key areas (including Offshore Wind; Heating and the Built Environment; and Sustainable Mobility) will support the acceleration in implementation of impactful decarbonising measures.
