IRELAND WILL BLOW through its first two carbon budgets unless the government takes urgent action to slash emissions, according to an independent panel of climate experts.
The three legally-binding budgets each cover a five-year period, with the first two leading up to an important 2030 target to cut emissions in half compared to 2018 levels. Drops in emissions of 12.4% in 2023, 2024 and 2025 are needed in order to stay within the carbon budget, according to the EPA.The Climate Change Advisory Council in its annual review for 2023 has now added its voice, saying that at the current rate of policy implementation, Ireland will not meet the targets in the first and second carbon periods.
Council Chair Marie Donnelly said that the government “must address the gap between climate action and ambition now and start to see emissions fall consistently”. “Feasible, effective, and low-cost options for mitigation and adaptation are already available including the roll out of district heating, onshore wind development and community-based restoration of coastal environments, and they must be implemented now.
In the electricity sector, it said the government must conclude work on developing plans for the locations of more onshore wind and must provide more assistance to local authorities processing renewable energy applications. Large energy users like data centres should be obliged to supply excess heat to local communities to support district heating schemes, according to the Council.