COP26 Commitments

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) was held in Glasgow from October 31st to November 12th 2021. At the end of negotiations throughout the summit, all parties signed the Glasgow Climate Pact, agreeing to;

• cut emissions of greenhouse gases to keep global temperature increase below 1.5°,
• reduce reliance on coal and roll back fossil fuel subsidies,
• increase climate finance and technical assistance for developing countries,
• new rules for regulating carbon markets

Ireland also signed up to the High Ambition Coalition (HAC), Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA), the Climate and Clean Air Coalition Ministerial, and committed €10 million to the Climate Adaptation Fund by the end of 2022.

More info on COP26 Commitments Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2021

Under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, the Climate Change Advisory Council was established with the purpose of recommending and advising on the preparation of national climate plans. Each year it publishes an annual review, based on the national inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, and will make recommendations on how the State’s climate-related objectives and obligations can be achieved. It will also undertake periodic reviews to ensure that climate policy remains up to date and that progress is maintained on implementing national plans. The 2021 Review concluded that more rapid reductions in greenhouse gases and structural changes are required to meet our targets, calling on greater leadership across the Government.

More info on Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021

Signed into law on the 23rd of July 2021, the Bill sets Ireland on a legally binding path to net-zero emissions no later than 2050, and to a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030, through five-year carbon budgets and annual national Climate Actions Plans. A key element for local authorities is the requirement to prepare individual Climate Action Plans. These Plans will include both mitigation and adaptation measures and are required to be updated every five years.

More info on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021

 

National Dialogue for Climate Action (NDCA) 

The purpose of the Dialogue is to create a process of widespread engagement on climate action. Through improving climate literacy, public consultation and insights from engagement activities, input from local and regional levels can be applied to national policy and the annual Climate Action Plans. In 2021, as part of the Dialogue, a series of in-depth Climate Conversations took place capturing the views of over 3,800 people, including over 200 individuals, 16 public participation networks (PPNs), 100 young people from 12 Comhairle na nÓg groups, and 70 people from 12 years of age and upwards. These conversations gave voice to a public who are responsive to this crisis and feel a sense of urgency around climate action.

More info on National Dialogue for Climate Action

 

Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2021

The Climate Action Plan 2021 is an ambitious programme published by the Government to put Ireland on a more sustainable path. It provides a detailed plan for taking decisive action to achieve a 51% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and setting us on a path top reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050.

Since 20211, Ireland’s emissions have trended upwards with an overall peak in emissions in 2018. The sectors with the largest percent of national emissions in 2020 are Agriculture (37.1%), Transport (17.9%) and Energy (15%). The Plan lists the actions needed to deliver on our climate targets and sets indicative ranges of emissions reductions for each sector of the economy. It will be updated annually, including in 2022, to ensure alignment with our legally binding economy-wide carbon budgets and sectoral ceilings.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 outlines four core measures to deliver these reductions:

• Carbon neutral heating in industry;
• Electrification of high temperature heating in the alumina sector; 
• A decrease in embodied carbon in construction materials; 
• Phase out high Global Warming Potential F-gases.

More info on Climate Action Plan 2021

 

CCAC Proposed Carbon Budgets

Under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, the Climate Change Advisory Council was tasked with preparing carbon budgets. This is the first time Ireland will set limits on greenhouse gas emissions over a set period of time. Once presented to the Minster for Environment, Climate and Communications, consultation between Government and the public will take place before a finalized carbon budget is signed into law. The proposed budget set for the period 2021-2025 is an average of -4.8% reduction each year. These carbon budgets will, once adopted by the Oireachtas, be used to complete sectoral emissions ceilings for relevant sectors of the economy, with the aim of reducing national greenhouse gases emissions by 51% by 2030.

More info on CCAC Proposed Carbon Budgets

 

The National Development Plan 2021 – 2030 

The National Development Plan outlines the largest investment in infrastructure in the State’s history, allocating €165 billion with a focus on strengthen housing, climate ambitions, transport, healthcare, jobs growth in every region and economic renewal for the decade ahead. The Plan aims to deliver 6,000 affordable houses each year, investing €5.7 billion into health, €4.4 billion for education and €13 for transport projects. The Plan will prepare us for population growth of approximately 1 million between 2016 and 2040, and help us to deal with the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and Brexit. As part of Project Ireland 2040 the National Development Plan sets out the Government’s over-arching investment strategy and budget for the period 2021-2030.

More info on The National Development Plan 2021 – 2030

 

2021 Road Allocations for Climate Adaptation and Resilience Works

Published on June 3rd 2021, this is a climate adaptation investment programme for regional and local roads aiming to implement 432 road improvement projects across the country with the help of 26 local authorities. A total of €17.3 million was allocated to the scheme, funding the strengthening of bridges, road edge protection measures, alleviating flooding on roads and embankment stability measures. Meath County Council received €595,000 for six improvement projects.

More info on 2021 Road Allocations for Climate Adaptation and Resilience Works

 

National Home Retrofit Scheme 2020 (One Stop Shop Development Call) 

The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan 2020 set ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, including our homes, with targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. These targets represent a very significant increase in both the volume and depth of retrofit activity. In order to achieve these targets, we must transform the way we deliver retrofits by scaling up existing approaches that work and developing new, innovative solutions.

This scheme is aimed at engaging groups of private households, registered Housing Associations and Local Authorities and Energy Utilities or other organisations who wish to participate in delivering a “One Stop Shop” type service for energy efficiency works. One Stop Shops will make retrofit easier to do and more attractive to homeowners. They will facilitate larger more efficient aggregated projects and will bring benefits for homeowners, with significant job growth potential.

More info on National Home Retrofit Scheme 2020

 

Ireland's National Energy and Climate Plan 2021 - 2030 

Ireland's draft National Energy & Climate Plan (NECP) 2021-2030 was submitted to the European Commission in December 2018. The Plan addresses all five dimensions of the EU Energy Union: decarbonisation, energy efficiency, energy security, internal energy markets and research, innovation and competitiveness. This Plan builds on previous national strategies and sets out in detail our objectives which collectively deliver a 30% reduction by 2030 in non-ETS greenhouse gas emissions.

More info on Ireland's National Energy and Climate Plan 2021 - 2030

 

Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2023

The Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) is the second annual update to Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2019. This plan is the first to be prepared under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, and following the introduction, in 2022, of economy-wide carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings.

The plan was launched on 21 December 2022.

The plan implements the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings and sets out a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve our emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050, as committed to in the Programme for Government. Climate Action Plan 2023 sets out how Ireland can accelerate the actions that are required to respond to the climate crisis, putting climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development.

The plan outlines six vital high impact sectors:

• 75% reduction is emissions in the power sector through renewables by 2030
• 45% reduction in emissions from commercial/public buildings and 40% reduction from residential by 2030
• 50% reduction in emissions from the transport sector by 2030
• 25% reduction in emissions from the agriculture sector by 2030
• 35% reduction in emissions from the business and enterprise sector by 2030
• Changing land use with targets for this sector yet to be determined

More information is available on Climate Action Plan 2023