Government approves post-consultation Climate Action Plan 2024
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
The government has today approved Climate Action Plan 2024, following the completion of a public consultation and Strategic Environmental Assessment.
Climate Action Plan 2024 is the second statutory update to the plan since the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 was signed into law, committing Ireland to 2030 and 2050 targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It builds on Climate Action Plan 2023, outlining how Ireland will accelerate the actions required to respond to the climate crisis, putting climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development.
Commenting on the launch of the updated Climate Action Plan 2024, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan said:
"This is the decade of climate action; the choice to remain as we are is not available. Tipping points, such as the loss of ice sheets, the shutdown of ocean currents, and a warmer and wetter Irish climate point to severe regional and global risks. Delivering on the complete range of targets set out in Climate Action Plan 2024 represents the lowest cost route for society in the long run. What we need now, and something that was mentioned again and again in the public consultation undertaken as part of Climate Action Plan 2024, is decisive delivery of the actions outlined in Climate Action Plan, and renewed ambition on the part of government and society as a whole.
"Ireland is well placed to have a competitive edge in several key areas, and to leverage our competitive position with regard to certain natural resources – namely wind energy. I’m also encouraged that identity politics has so far not seeped into the climate debate and that the vast majority of Irish people understand the critical nature of climate change and want action now."
With updated greenhouse gas emissions projections due from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in the coming weeks, their most recent inventory figures show that Ireland's emissions fell by just under 2% between 2021 and 2022 — with reductions across the agriculture, industry, energy and residential sectors — at a time when the economy and population were increasing.
However, Climate Action Plan 2024 outlines that there can be no room for complacency, despite progress across many sectors. There is still a significant challenge ahead of us if we are to transition to a greener, cleaner future that improves people’s quality of life and meets our emission reduction obligations.
Critical to achieving these targets will be Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Plan, soon to go to public consultation, and the Long-term Climate Strategy which builds upon the decarbonisation pathways set by the Carbon Budgets, Sectoral Emissions Ceilings and this Climate Action Plan.
Climate Action Plan 2024 is available on the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications website.
ENDS
75% reduction in emissions by 2030 (compared to 2018)
We will facilitate a large-scale deployment of renewables that will be critical to decarbonising the power sector as well as enabling the electrification of other technologies.
45% reduction in commercial/public buildings emissions; 40% reduction in residential buildings emissions
We will increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings, put in place policies to deliver zero-emissions new builds and continue to ramp up our retrofitting programme.
50% reduction in emissions by 2030
We will drive policies to reduce transport emissions by improving our town, cities and rural planning, and by adopting the Avoid-Shift-Improve approach: reducing or avoiding the need for travel, shifting to public transport, walking and cycling and improving the energy efficiency of vehicles.
25% reduction in emission by 2030
We will support farmers to continue to produce world-class, safe and nutritious food, while also seeking to diversify income through tillage, energy generation and forestry.
35% reduction in emissions by 2030
We’re changing how we produce, consume and design our goods and services, by breaking the link between fossil fuels and economic progress. Decarbonising industry and enterprise is key to Ireland’s economy and future competitiveness.
The first phase of the Land Use Review told us how we are using our land at present. This will help us identify how we can use land to most effectively to capture and store carbon and to produce better, greener food and energy.