Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 16 February 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Development of Indigenous Irish Enterprise: Discussion

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

Transporting goods, at present, uses considerable fossil fuels and it is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, according to the OECD's international transport forum. It predicts that trade-related freight and transport emissions will rise fourfold by 2050 which, again, goes contrary to the whole world's goal. I see what Mr. Clancy is saying about how people in northern Europe will buy things from Ireland instead of China and therefore, overall, we will reduce emissions. However, China is not similarly planning for that. The whole world plans to continue to compete on the basis of exporting more and more stuff. What is the breakdown between air freight and sea freight in terms of goods-exporting Irish companies? There is quite a difference. Air freight is much more carbon intensive than sea freight.

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