Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 18:

In page 6, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “ ‘complete decarbonisation’ means zero energy emissions, combined with nature-based solutions that enhance biodiversity to sequester greenhouse gases from sectors where some emissions remain inevitable;”.

There could be different versions of "net zero". The term does not necessarily mean that we reduce our carbon emissions. It could mean that we find accounting mechanisms to do it. This amendment spells out that we have to find nature-based solutions that mean we actually reduce our carbon emissions, rather than just balance a budget. Again, it refers to the earlier point, but it should remain in the Bill to ensure we use nature-based solutions to sequester greenhouse gases and that we do not rely on the balancing of budgets, as this Bill is shaping up to do.