Ireland is falling way short of its climate emissions targets – despite all the talk of Green Minister, Eamonn Ryan.
The Environment Protection Agency estimates that Ireland will only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 29% by 2030 when the legal target is 51%. As a result, it will face fines of between €3 billion and €8 billion.
Nothing better testifies to the failure of the Green Party, Ireland will remain the second worst offender for carbon emissions in the EU.
The Green Party claims there will be 1 million electric vehicles on Irish roads by 2030. It was always a fantasy but now the global market for electric vehicles is collapsing due to high costs and because cars using public charging points cost nearly the same as petrol or diesel.
The Green Party has rejected the only real alternative which is free, frequent public transport. Eamonn Ryan even claimed that it would lead to ‘unnecessary journeys’.
The other reason why emissions are soaring is because Ireland has become the main European location for data centres. By 2030, these will consume 30% of Irish electricity.
The Green Party has also opposed a ban on exploration for fossil fuels. So new discoveries are only likely to add to climate emissions.
As the Green Party fails – it is vital that we take a different road. That means challenging corporate power – rather than embracing it.
People Before Profit offers a far better approach to saving our planet than the Green Party.
