Irish Examiner view: Cop31 must spark global climate action

The Environmental Protection Agency projects emissions reductions of up to 25% by 2030, compared with 2018, even with full implementation of the policies in its more ambitious scenario

The Antalya COP31 mascot, 'Caretta,' attracts participants' attention as 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) continued on Thursday. Picture: Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu/Getty

A government asking people to change how they heat their homes and travel to work must make those changes possible. Climate policy cannot become a test of whether a household can afford a new car, an expensive retrofit, or another increase in its bills.

At Cop31, Ireland should support ambitious action to end dependence on fossil fuels. Its credibility, however, depends on what happens at home. With November approaching its midpoint, the Government has yet to publish this year’s climate action plan. The delay is revealing, but publication alone will not solve the problem.