Bríd Smith TD, climate spokesperson for People Before Profit, has described the announced Climate Action Plan as “regurgitated PR spin from previous announcements and the National Development Plan.”
Speaking following a briefing with Minister Eamon Ryan, the TD described the plan as “complicated in accountancy, full of aspiration without clear action and disappointing in its lack of ambition.”
The TD said that there are no new announcements in the plan, instead a regurgitation of what we already knew.
On the key area of transport, the plan envisages only 1500 EV buses by 2030 while at the same time repeats the aspiration of the former Minister Richard Bruton to have 1 million EV cars by 2030.
She said: “This is shameful and says it all about the lack of vision for what needs to be done to mitigate our transport emissions. The idea that the production of 1 million EV cars to service this country is what is required instead of free, frequent and green public transport as a priority is outrageous.
“On agriculture the main emphasis is to reduce nitrogen in fertilisers and no stated ambition to reduce the national herd while at the same time supporting the small and family farmer, who have paid the highest price for the growth in the herd and have the most to lose.
“On energy we already know that major improvements have been made by Eirgrid and moves to allow access to the national grid by micro producers is welcome, again something that has already been planned. The moves towards wind powered renewable energy, however, are almost totally reliant on private enterprise and this is a big mistake for any national climate plan. Renewable energy should be state owned, controlled and not-for-profit.
“Plans to improve afforestation have to be taken with a large pinch of salt. Licenses to fell trees outweigh licences to plant trees by 7 to 1 and we have wasted years of potential growth by perpetuating this scandal.
“We need clear timelines and target dates. Currently they are vague and confusing.”
The March for Climate Justice will take place at 12 noon on Saturday 6 November, meeting at Parnell Square in Dublin, and will march to the Dáil.
