New projections by the Environmental Protection Agency show that greenhouse gas emissions could fall by just 13 per cent by 2030, far below the 51 per cent reduction required by law. At the very best, emissions are set to drop by just 25 per cent, barely half of the target.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has accused the Government of abandoning any meaningful climate actions. Deputy Murphy calls for a massive increase in investment in free and frequent public transport, for free retrofitting and for new LNG infrastructure plans to be scrapped.
Paul Murphy said “The climate emergency represents an existential threat, but the failures of this and successive Irish Governments means that Ireland will miss its emissions reduction target by a massive margin.
“The Government’s target has been to reduce emissions by 51 per cent by 2030, but emissions reductions by 2030 will at best be only half of that. In fact, based on current policies, emissions reductions could be just 13 per cent by 2030, a quarter of the target.
“2023, 2024 and 2025 were the warmest years on record, and, for the first time, annual global temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above the pre-industrial, 1850-1900 average.
“In the last two days, temperature records for May have been smashed in Ireland and across Europe. The world is headed towards 2°C warming and beyond and the consequences of that will be catastrophic. But the Irish Government, and many governments around the world, are not just failing but are unwinding the limited progress that had been made.
“In November, Taoiseach Micheál Martin spoke at COP30 in Brazil, where he said:
Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is a daily reality and we are all feeling its consequences.
At a time when political leadership has never been more vital, there are fewer of us here in Belém, fewer Leaders ready to tell it as it is.
Climate change is unarguable. The science is undeniable. Temperatures are rising, and the clock is ticking. If we are not prepared to tell our citizens the truth about this, we are failing them, and this planet, in the most profound way
“For a Taoiseach known for speaking out of both sides of his mouth, his speech at COP30 is among the most egregious examples of his double standards. This Government has an appalling track record on climate policy, and it has effectively abandoned meaningful efforts to achieve the emissions reductions urgently needed.
“The Government has redirected transport spending in favour of road building while public transport infrastructure is in urgent need of major capital investment. Most homes have poor energy ratings because inadequate grants mean people can’t afford to retrofit their homes. Recent Government policy fiddling will not change that.
“The Government is proceeding with plans to build an LNG storage facility, new infrastructure for the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet, at a cost of hundreds of millions of Euros.
“The Government defended the nitrates derogation which locks agriculture into a model of high intensity, high carbon emissions farming for years to come that will benefit big dairy farmers and the agrifood industry at the expense of small farmers and the environment. Meanwhile the EPA has found that emissions from agriculture may fall by just 4%.
“The shortfall from the target to reduce emissions by 51 percent by 2030 would mean the State will be liable for fines from the EU of up to €26 billion.
“In response to these new EPA projections, Minister for Climate Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien has had the gall to claim ‘we’re going in the right direction’. No, we are not, the Government is accelerating towards catastrophic climate breakdown.
“The situation is critical and radical action is needed urgently. Immediate steps should include scrapping of Government plans to build new LNG infrastructure. We need a massive increase in investment in free and frequent public transport and a mass free home retrofitting programme.”