Unprecedented changes needed to meet climate targets, EPA warns

The impact of Covid-19 in 2020 saw transport emissions decline but agriculture emissions largely unaffected, the report said.

Ireland has fallen far short of its 2020 emissions reduction aims, but can claw it back to reach EU targets in the next nine years through an "unprecedented" ramping up of national efforts.

That is according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which said that a 51% emissions reduction by 2030 meant "significant new measures will need to be identified and implemented across all sectors".

The Climate Action Bill 2021, currently in the Seanad after passing in the Dáil last week, aims for a climate-neutral economy no later than 2050, and a total reduction of 51% emissions to 2030.

Only full adherence to measures in the Climate Action Plan of 2019 will allow Ireland to make up and exceed the deficit recorded between 2005 and 2020, the EPA said in its greenhouse gas projections.

The extent of change required to meet the Climate Bill and European climate law targets is unprecedented, it said.

Emissions are projected to be 7% below 2005 levels in 2020, compared to the target of 20%, it added.

The agency said that even under the best-case scenario, with all the measures set out in the 2019 Climate Action Plan fully implemented, Ireland's 2030 emissions will be just 24% lower than 2018 levels.

Existing plans need to be ramped up "without delay" if a post-pandemic surge is to be avoided.

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The impact of Covid-19 in 2020 saw transport emissions decline but agriculture emissions largely unaffected, the report said.

Measures needed include low emissions slurry spreading techniques in agriculture, almost one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030, and renewable energy providing 70% of electricity generated.

The installation of 600,000 heat pumps and the retrofitting of 500,000 homes by 2030 is projected to reduce the energy used for space and water heating by 44%, the EPA said.