Critical funds could be taken away from essential services if Ireland is fined billions for failing to meet climate change targets, with the Government warned it must end the country’s “harmful, expensive and unsustainable” reliance on fossil fuels.
In its annual cross-sectoral review, the Climate Change Advisory Council said that while emissions fell last year in Ireland, a lack of significant progress means that it is unlikely we will meet our second carbon budget for the period 2026-2030.
“Without immediate and decisive action, the cost of failing to meet EU targets could exceed €8bn for the period up to 2030,” the council’s chair Marie Donnelly said.
Ms Donnelly said that there is an opportunity to build on good work that the Government has done but stressed that the “time is now” to take the action required.
The independent climate advisory council laid out several recommendations in its latest report on actions that could be taken in the short term to make the kind of progress required.
It said that, to end the country’s reliance on fossil fuels, the Government should cease subsidising fossil fuel consumption and target those least able to move away from fossil fuels for financial support, as well as those most at risk from the impacts of climate change.
The council advised increasing funding and making it more accessible to enable and accelerate the rapid uptake of low-carbon technologies and alternatives across all sectors.
Its recommendations included the swift implementation of the National Planning Framework to support the expansion of wind and solar power, while also reducing emissions associated with new building developments and the transport system.
“The Government needs to complete the Land Use Review and set out a detailed implementation plan to enable the necessary reduction in agriculture emissions,” it said.
Furthermore, the Government should focus on making heat pumps and electric vehicles more accessible, as it continues to roll out retrofits of existing housing stock.
Ms Donnelly added: “We have the opportunity, now, to transform our society to a modern, climate resilient […] economy or else pay the price of not meeting our commitments which will take crucial funds away from essential services.
“It is better to make the investments now for households, communities and businesses, rather than paying a large fine in a few years.”