Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, for inviting me to this session to discuss the proposed carbon budget programme which, following a lengthy consultation and review process, received approval from my Cabinet colleagues back in February and is now before both Houses of the Oireachtas for final approval.

As part of the consultation and review process, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action undertook an extensive review of the carbon budget proposals. I greatly appreciate the work undertaken by the members of the committee to examine the proposals and engage with numerous stakeholders and experts in order to fully interrogate the carbon budgets and, more broadly, seek political consensus in support of robust climate action.

I am also grateful for the committee's recommendation to adopt the proposed carbon budgets and I appreciate the other recommendations delivered in its report, particularly with regards to monitoring our progress, ensuring a just transition, identifying opportunities to enhance our ambition, and the need for effective citizen and stakeholder engagement.

The need for swift robust climate action is critical. Last year at COP26 in Glasgow, we witnessed the powerful testimony of many international leaders from climate-vulnerable nations, who painted a stark picture of the impact that climate change is already having on their nations and communities. The climate budget programme will support Ireland to deliver against its domestic, EU and international climate action obligations.

Last year saw a step change in our approach to climate action, with the signing into law of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and the publication of the national development plan and the Climate Action Plan 2021. The introduction of our carbon budget programme will help us to build on the momentum from last year.

The 2021 climate Act establishes our climate objectives in law and will underpin national climate action in the medium and long term. Under the Act, the Climate Change Advisory Council, CCAC, submitted its first carbon budget programme in October 2021. The programme submitted by the council establishes a pathway to achieving our legally binding climate objectives. That means it will deliver on our commitment to a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and it will set us on the way to net zero by 2050. Last December, I caused a copy of this proposed carbon budget programme to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. Dáil Éireann then referred the carbon budget programme to the joint Oireachtas committee for its consideration and on 7 February, it published its report recommending that the proposed budgets be adopted by both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Following consideration of the public consultation, the recommendations of the joint committee's report and input from my Government colleagues, I took the proposed carbon budget programme to Government on 22 February and received Cabinet approval. The motion being considered today on the Government's proposed carbon budgets taking effect is the final step in the adoption of the carbon budgets but only the beginning of the implementation process.

The motion under consideration represents a significant milestone on this journey. Should the motion be approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas, the carbon budgets will then come into effect and set out an emissions framework for the country that will support our overall climate objective. Once these overall, economy-wide carbon budgets are adopted and have come into effect, my Department and I will begin the process of preparing the sectoral emissions ceilings. These ceilings will determine how each sector of the economy will contribute to the achievement of the carbon budgets. It is my intention that the sectoral emissions ceilings will be presented to the Government for approval by the end of June.

Preparation of the emissions ceilings will include extensive consultation with all Ministers and will be informed by new and existing analysis undertaken by members of the climate action modelling group, as well as additional external technical support. The work undertaken as part of the consultation and review process for the carbon budgets, including the joint Oireachtas committee report, will also inform and support the preparation and development of the sectoral emission ceilings. Once the ceilings have been prepared and approved by Cabinet, they and the carbon budgets will be reflected in the next climate action plan, and that will replace the indicative ranges of emission reductions for each sector that is in the climate action plan that was published in 2021. The process to deliver the next climate action plan will include further consultation with other Ministers, the public and various experts and stakeholders.

It is crucial that while we prepare our carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings, delivery of climate action in Ireland continues at pace. The 2021 climate action plan, which I launched on 4 November alongside the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, provides a detailed roadmap for meeting our climate ambition under the climate Act. The Government has also published an accompanying annexe of actions to support the delivery of the climate action plan. The annexe sets out the detailed actions and measures, with timelines included, that are required to drive delivery and ensure our emissions reduce. The annexe also identifies the key Departments, State bodies and other key stakeholders that will oversee and implement these actions.The 2021 plan sets out indicative ranges of emissions reductions for each sector of the economy. Following the legal adoption of carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings, these ranges will be finalised and reflected in this year's climate action plan. The Government will support the changes through major public investment announced recently in the €165 billion national development plan, including increased funding for retrofitting our homes, building new public transport, reskilling workers and supporting a just transition.

While the climate action plan 2021 builds on the ambitious targets of the 2019 plan, it represents a significant step up in terms of ambition and implementation. To highlight a number of the most significant measures included in climate action plan 2021, the plan commits to, first, an increase in the proportion of renewable electricity to up to 80% by 2030, including an increased target of up to 5 GW of offshore wind energy. Second, there will be a significant reduction in transport emissions by 2030, and measures will include enabling 500,000 extra walking, cycling and public transport journeys per day by 2030, and supporting the take-up of electric vehicles to reach almost 1 million by 2030. Third, there will be implementation of a new national retrofit plan to increase supply capacity and make retrofitting more affordable. Fourth, our enterprise sector will see a faster uptake of carbon-neutral heating, increased electrification of high-temperature heating and the phasing out of high global warming potential F-gases. Fifth, reducing emissions associated with agriculture will be central to achieving our climate ambition. This plan provides a pathway to reduce emissions while supporting world class food production through an innovation and science-based approach. There will be a reduction in chemical nitrogen and more targeted use of fertiliser, while maintaining our position as global leader in grass growth through multi-species swards. Sixth, there will be a reduction in emissions from land use and a move to being an overall store of carbon, which will involve further bog rehabilitation, increased afforestation and the rewetting of peat organic soils. A new forestry programme will be prepared for launch in 2023.

This plan places a just transition at its core. It sets out four principles that will guide our policy-making and implementation over the coming years to ensure that we can effectively monitor and manage our transition and that our responses remain flexible so we can respond to future transition challenges and target the areas in need of support. Each Minister, as well as the Government as a whole, will be expected to consider these principles as we develop and implement our climate policies. We have committed in the plan to establishing a just transition commission, which will make periodic recommendations to Government, building on research, engagement through the National Dialogue on Climate Action, and the annual review from the Climate Change Advisory Council, CCAC, on how Government policy can further the just transition.

In delivering this ambitious climate action plan, we must ensure we bring people with us and that the transition is fair. The National Dialogue on Climate Action, which was launched in March 2021, will facilitate public engagement, participation, community action, networking and capacity building activities on climate action, giving everyone in society the opportunity to play their part. In November last year, I announced €60 million in funding from the climate action fund for community climate action projects to support and empower communities to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way.

As I mentioned earlier, the testimony presented at COP26 in Glasgow laid out the risks and challenges climate change presents us with.