Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their contributions. Yesterday, when we heard from the Climate Change Advisory Council, or a subgroup of the council, it said the most significant factor underpinning the proposed carbon budgets was the commitment to a reduction of 51%, the interim target in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. Do the witnesses believe this target is achievable based on the carbon budgets? Professor McMullin made a point on the area under the curve but the text in the Act is quite specific. Will the carbon budgets achieve a reduction of 51%?

Are the witnesses of the opinion that there is a contradiction in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 between the target of 51% and our commitments under the Paris Agreement?

On a related point, what would it take by way of carbon budgets to live up to our commitment under the Paris Agreement? The commitment in the carbon budgets, as presented by the Climate Change Advisory Council, is 495 Mt CO2 eq in the first decade.

Professor McMullin and Mr. Price have mentioned 468 Mt CO2 eq. Is 300 Mt CO2 eq the figure Professor Anderson is indicating? What does he believe to be a Paris Agreement-compliant carbon budget for the first ten years? Professor Sweeney mentioned concerns about assumptions in respect of LULUCF. Will he expand on that point?