Eamon Ryan backs new EU targets for greenhouse gas reductions

Minister for Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport Eamon Ryan TD

Eamon Ryan has welcomed the European Commission’s more ambitious new targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction of at least 55% by 2030.

The announcement, made by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was included in her State of the Union speech on Wednesday which outlined how the bloc will rebuild post-pandemic.

The Minister for Communications Climate Action and Environment said: "The Government welcomes the increasing impetus and focus at EU level on climate action.

"This includes the vision set out in the Green Deal, published in December 2019, which aims to deliver net zero greenhouse gas emissions at EU level by 2050."

The Programme for Government agreed by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party set the Government’s commitment to an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030 (a 51% reduction over the decade) and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

"The Climate Action (Amendment) Bill is being drafted as a priority, and is expected to be published shortly," Mr Ryan's statement added.

"The Bill will significantly strengthen the statutory framework for governance of the climate challenge in Ireland, establish a 2050 target into law and introduce a legal requirement for Government to adopt a successive series of three economy-wide carbon budgets and decarbonisation ranges for each relevant sector.

"By working in partnership with the EU we can achieve the radical transformation required across our economy and society to meet the challenge of climate change."

The EU Commission will propose a series of measures to achieve the target, including boosting renewable energy generation, improved energy efficiency, reforming energy taxation and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).

When setting out her committment, Ms von der Leyen told the Commission: "I recognise that this increase from 40 to 55 is too much for some, and not enough for others, but our impact assessment clearly shows that our economy and industry can manage this," she said.