Ireland Set To Miss 2030 Climate Targets - EPA

Friday, 2 June 2023 10:16

By Caoimhe Harney

Ireland is also on course to exceed the two carbon budgets for the 2021 to 2030 period by between 24% and 34%

Ireland is on course to miss its 2030 climate targets by a large margin unless all sectors, including agriculture, electricity and transport, rapidly deliver further emission reductions and sustain this delivery into the future, according to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA has analysed how far emissions would fall if the very challenging policy measures already approved and included in our national Climate Action Plan were fully implemented and delivered on time.

Its latest projections show that if all climate policies and measures currently planned are fully implemented, Ireland will achieve only a 29% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, well short of the legally binding 51% reduction target.

Ireland is also on course to exceed the two carbon budgets for the 2021 to 2030 period by between 24% and 34%.

EPA Director General Laura Burke said there are only seven years left to 2030 and Ireland must grasp the nettle of climate action so it can realise the significant opportunities and social and economic co-benefits for people, communities and business that can be delivered through innovation and decarbonisation.

The EPA is also warning that additional greenhouse emissions released by strong economic growth and related energy demands are now beginning to cancel out some of the cuts in emissions achieved by the Climate Action Plan.