Written answers

Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Climate Change Policy

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1159. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress to date in the meeting of international targets and agreements on carbon reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14275/17]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I refer to the reply to Questions Nos.  34, 41 and 71 on today’s Order Paper. Under the 2009 Effort Sharing Decision No. 406/2009/EC, the target set for Ireland is that emissions should be 20% below their value in 2005. The latest available greenhouse gas emissions projections for the period to 2020, published by the Environmental Protection Agency in March 2016, indicate that Ireland’s emissions in 2020 could be in the range of 6 ‐ 11% below 2005 levels, depending on whether additional policies or measures, beyond those already in place by the end of 2014, are implemented.

I published the draft National Mitigation Plan for public consultation on 15 March. I intend that this public consultation will help inform further work in my own Department and across Government to finalise the Plan in the middle of this year. When finalised,  this Plan will provide the framework for continued work towards meeting our 2020 targets.  I t is important to note that the first National Mitigation Plan also represents an initial step to set us on a pathway to achieve the level of decarbonisation required by 2050. The Plan will become a living document, accessible on my Department's website, and will be continually updated as on-going analysis, dialogue and technological innovation generate more and more cost-effective sectoral mitigation options. In addition, there will be the formal preparation of successive National Mitigation Plans at least once every five years as provided for in the 2015 Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act.

This process will also drive the implementation of measures required to meet Ireland's expected emissions reduction targets between 2021 to 2030 under the proposed EU Effort Sharing Regulation for the sectors of the economy not included in the EU Emissions Trading System.  The proposed Effort Sharing Regulation, in turn, represents the European Union’s approach to meeting its commitment under the Paris Agreement to a reduction of at least 40% in EU-wide emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. This commitment is to be met through reductions of 43% in the Emissions Trading System and 30% in the rest of the economy compared with 2005 levels. 

The Effort Sharing Regulation proposal continues to be negotiated at EU level between EU Member States and the European Parliament.

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