Dr. R?is?n Moriarty:

I thank the members for all their questions. In Volume 4 we tried very hard to communicate that climate action is really urgent and we need really far-reaching change to happen quickly. This is not the only challenge facing Ireland. There is housing, healthcare, inequality and other environmental issues, all of which also require action. In our report we focus on transformative change because if actions on climate change or biodiversity loss conflict with these other objectives, we will not get people to come on board with the rapid and far-reaching change we need.

There is a flip side. In Volume 4 we tried most of all to look at all the benefits and opportunities that come from addressing all of these problems together in a systematic way with an integrated and strategic plan. In that way, we can show people that taking action on climate and biodiversity also leads to better lives for people in Ireland now, with warmer and more comfortable homes, better transport options and being able to live closer to nature. This is not just for future generations; we could have these benefits today and also start addressing some of those other challenges at the same time. That is the context. We really tried to put out the message that we need to make transformative change - big, rapid changes - to start getting to a better Ireland that is better for everybody. It is to help people understand that by taking action, things improve for everybody, including communities, farmers and people living in cities.

It is worth looking at the summary for policymakers in Volume 4 because a lot of that context is in there. We have not been able to bring it across today in the time we have.