Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 18 June 2019

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Budgetary and Fiscal Implications of Climate Change: Discussion

Dr. Kelly de Bruin:

Regarding the costs, I agree with Professor FitzGerald. Many of the options needed to reach the targets are cost effective, even without an increase in the carbon tax. Whether we can reach the targets by 2030 will very much depend on how we can incentivise people to make the transfer. This is where the carbon tax is very relevant. I do not know whether the objective is achievable. It depends on what policies are put in place to incentivise behaviour to switch from carbon.