Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the witnesses. I will jump right in.

One of the main concerns I have relates to climate justice. As the witnesses will be aware, there is an obligation in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 to have regard to climate justice but there is also an obligation in terms of equity. I was concerned at this attempt to strip that out and say that there is an attempt to seek a kind of value neutrality in the approach. Mr. Price had some input on the question of equity. Perhaps he could address this aspect. Equity is, of course, specific to the Paris test in the context of climate justice and the test that has been developed by the CCAC. I am concerned that this test does not involve the best available science when it comes to the important task of comparing the temperature impact of carbon budgets with the 1.5°C Paris goal. It is also concerning because it involves two assumptions. It assumes that all countries are starting at the same point and have the same emissions and would be reducing at the same rate. Of course, that is the exact opposite of differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities. I would be interested in our guests comments on that. While there is much in the Paris Agreement, as Professor Anderson said. Articles 2 and 4.1 of the agreement are referenced in the 2021 Act. They relate to the 1.5°C rise in temperature and they do impose responsibility in the context of equity and comparisons.

Professor McMullin mentioned that he thinks 2015 was a better year, but I am wondering about 2020. Even at a minimum, would 2018 not have been a more appropriate year given that it is the year applied to the 51% reduction provided for in the 2021 Act? I am a little concerned about taking 2020 - which was the first year of the Covid pandemic and which saw a global dip in emissions - as a baseline year, not only because it is out of sync with Paris, which uses 2015, but also because it is out of sync with the 2021 Act and the reduction of 51% in the carbon emissions figure that obtained at the end of 2018. If our guests have thoughts on that, I would appreciate hearing them.