Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What strikes me most about the 2021 climate action plan is not only its lack of ambition and bravery, but most important, its complete lack of any sense of togetherness in the face of this immense global issue that we are facing together. It is clear that the plan is not in line with climate justice. The statement by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, and the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, stating that the bulk of funding would come from the pockets of individuals and households just demonstrates how they plan for this to be yet another unfair burden on ordinary people, rather than a real and effective way to tackle the defining issue of our time.

We are at a defining moment. With rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, shifting weather patterns and threats to food production, the impacts of climate change are truly unprecedented in scale. What is the Government’s response to this? It is not to address the fact that, according to this climate action plan, data centres are forecast to take up 23% of this country’s electricity demand by 2030, but to aim instead to get individuals to retrofit their homes, despite the huge personal cost of this. The Government’s response is not to address the huge investment needed for public transport, including a well-functioning train service that might extend to my constituency of Donegal, but to try to have a million EVs on the road by 2030. This is, again, despite the immense personal cost this will have for motorists.

The solution to assist with this personal cost, according to the climate action plan, is to provide grants and support from the State balanced with some private sector funding. I will not even begin on the issues that arise from relying on private sector funding but it is clear that none of the three Government party leaders have assisted their constituents in applying for SEAI grants recently or they would know of the huge backlog and years of waiting that applicants are currently facing. Even if this backlog was addressed, SEAI grants do nothing to assist ordinary families. These grants are aimed at those who already have the money to invest in retrofitting and electric vehicles. It is clear to me that this climate action plan is restricted to the wealthy and that investment in climate action is a luxury for the few, unfortunately.

In his analysis of the climate action plan, Dr. Rory Hearne rightly argues that "Green-washing in policy should be analysed for what it is. The vested interests of propertied speculators, fossil fuel interests, and an economy based on endless growth in material consumption can no longer hold sway." The climate action plan is disappointing, at best, in addressing the issue of an out-of-control data centre sector driving the entire country towards power cuts. I cannot stress enough the importance of urgently clamping down on data centre development. I strongly welcome the Government's announcement that it will review its policies on data centre growth to keep them in line with emissions and renewable energy targets. I sincerely hope the Government is true to its word on this but history would suggest otherwise.

All in all, the 2021 climate action plan is too little, too late and there seems to be no attempt to bring the country together to create meaningful action in the face of an incredibly terrifying climate crisis that will sadly affect us all.

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