Review of Ireland's efforts to cut emissions should 'set off alarm bells'

Caroline Whyte of Feasta, the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability, said the review mentions that energy demand is projected to increase by an enormous 37% by 2031, compared with 2021 levels. 

A stark assessment from the independent body advising the Government on climate change should "set off alarm bells" after it warned Ireland would fail to meet its own legally binding targets.

The Climate Change Advisory Council's annual review warned that the country will not meet the targets set in the first and second carbon budget periods unless urgent action is taken and emissions begin to fall much more rapidly.

Ireland's carbon budgets, which allocate emissions ceilings to motorists, households, farmers, businesses, and industry in five-year cycles, aim to reduce emissions by 4.8% a year from 2021 to 2025 under the first block, while the 2026-2030 budget will increase that annual reduction target to 8.3%. 

They are legally binding after a protracted tussle on agreements for each sector since they were first announced in 2020, meaning the country was already behind its emissions reduction ambition when they were implemented.

The Climate Council's assessment mirrors that of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which warned last month that Ireland is on course to cut emissions by just 29% by 2030, as compared to the target of 51% — with key sectors such as agriculture and transport way off track.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

Social Democrats climate and biodiversity spokesperson, Jennifer Whitmore, said: "This report should set off alarm bells for the Government. It comes on the back of two bleak assessments by the EPA of our ability to reach legally binding climate action targets by 2030.

"This Government is good at making plans but is poor when it comes to delivering them. We can already see from extreme weather events, in Ireland and abroad, that climate change is happening in real time. Given the catastrophic consequences of doing nothing—or not enough—the lack of progress on climate action from the Government is unforgiveable.”

The Stop Climate Chaos (SCC) coalition, made up of a range of environmental organisations, said the annual review by the Climate Council "throws into stark relief the work that Ireland has to do" to meet its fair share of the global climate mitigation effort and get polluting emissions down to net zero.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

SCC coordinator Sadhbh O’Neill said: "The Minister is legally required under the 2021 Climate Act to respond to this report and introduce corrective measures to get Ireland back on track to meet the carbon budgets.

"The delays in reducing emissions today mean that steeper emission reductions will be required in the future in order to remain within the carbon budgets. We need each government department to step up and put in place measures to get back on track with the sectoral emissions ceilings.”

Caroline Whyte of Feasta, the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability, said the review mentions that energy demand is projected to increase by an enormous 37% by 2031, compared with 2021 levels. 

"This projection—which comes from Eirgrid, and is based on future economic growth modelling—is absurdly extravagant and unjust. In a world of finite and contested resources, such demand growth is clearly unsustainable. 

"Rather than authorising ever-more ‘growth-enhancing’ energy-hogs such as data centres, the State should instead focus much more strongly on equity and ensuring that everyone’s basic needs can be met.”