Green Party leader defends track record despite emissions report findings

The report says the State will only achieve a reduction of 29% in its emissions by 2030, compared to 2018, far below the 51% target

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said he would like to win seats in all three constituencies in the upcoming European elections.

The Environment Minister has rejected the idea that the Government has not done enough on climate, despite stark warnings from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The agency has warned Ireland will fall drastically short of its stated emissions targets, even if all of the Government’s climate action plans and policies are fully followed through. The agency's report says the State will only achieve a reduction of 29% in its emissions by 2030, compared to 2018, far below the 51% target.

However Mr Ryan, who brought a number of memos to Cabinet around the environment on Tuesday, said more could and would be done. He said Ireland's land-use carbon budget will play a part in bridging the gap to the targets. However, that budget has yet to be published. 

Mr Ryan denied this was because it is seen as politically difficult. He said the Government has "followed the science" in waiting to publish that document until later this year.

Change is not easy and it is not necessarily popular, even when it's change for the better. 

"When you make a better public transport system, when you switch to your own renewable power supply, people object and have the right to do so, but it's going to require huge political effort.

"I think the Irish people are up for us and we're delivering, as the Environmental Protection Agency said today, when it comes to our homes. We're starting to meet the targets that we set.

"Look at the public transport numbers under this Government, they have risen. 

"You look at the number of houses, 1,000 houses a week being renovated under this Government because the money we put into it. 

You look at the number putting up solar power in each of the sectors. We're seeing huge change and we need to go further

He said measures in the land-use budget and agriculture carbon budget would "have huge effects". 

Mr Ryan also hit out at criticism from the Social Democrats, who claimed that inaction on the environment put Ireland at risk of billions of euro in fines.

"I don’t believe they’ve anything additional or any magic wand should they be in office."

Meanwhile, Mr Ryan said he would not stand down as Green Party leader should the party have bad European and local elections.

"I'm hopeful we can get MEPs returned. It's a critical issue in Brussels. Is Brussels going to go against climate action? Is it going to actually stop the green deal? And that's the key question in this election."

Asked if his party would keep its two European seats, Mr Ryan said he would like to win seats in all three constituencies.

"I would love to win all three. We won't know until Friday and Saturday next week. We're going all out and we're committed, with three very good candidates [and] a very good campaign."

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB