Irish Examiner view: Warning has a glimmer of hope too

Ireland’s first Climate Change Assessment report, which was led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), warned that the country remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels and is currently ranked the second highest across the EU for emissions per person. Picture: Clare Keogh

Earlier this week, Ireland had its first Clean Air Night, an initiative targeted at improving awareness of air quality and thus boosting health. If anyone doubted the timeliness of that initiative, consider the report which emerged yesterday condemning Ireland’s level of preparedness of climate change.

Ireland’s first Climate Change Assessment report, which was led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), warned that the country remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels and is currently ranked the second highest across the EU for emissions per person. Although a legal basis is now in place for rapid and sustained national emissions cuts, “current policy and action remain insufficient to meet these aims”, according to the report.