Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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175. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands he anticipates over the lifetime of the national mitigation plan, the national energy and climate plan and the all-of-government plan on climate disruption. [5884/19]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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176. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the data available on the marginal abatement costs of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands; and the volume of emission reductions possible at each cost level. [5885/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 176 together.

The government are committed to making Ireland a leader in responding to climate change. I am currently developing an all of government plan, with actions across all areas such as heat, electricity, transport and agriculture according to strict timelines.

Transitioning to low carbon fuel sources is crucial to achieving our ambition.

The EPA reports projected emissions and removals from Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry as required under the EU Monitoring Mechanism Regulation on the basis of forecasted activity data (land use statistics) - see here:

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The forecasted land use statistics for wetlands take into account the National Peatlands Strategy.

The EPA does not publish land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) emissions projections in its annual projections report as these sources are not currently in the scope in Ireland’s non-ETS targets for 2020 under the EU Effort Sharing Decision.

The EPA expects to update the scope of its national emissions projections reporting in future as LULUCF emissions come in scope for compliance with national non-ETS targets under the EU Effort Sharing Regulation for 2021-2030, with the wetlands category to be subject to mandatory reporting and accounting from 2026. In preparation for this, the EPA is currently scoping the development of a national land-use map so as to derive a more accurate picture of both the extent and management of wetlands and the implications of future mandatory reporting of emissions and removals from wetlands in the context of Ireland’s EU obligations.

Future reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from wetlands and the volume of emission reductions will depend on the actions outlined in the all of government plan which is still being developed. As such, this information is not currently available but will be reported in the usual way by the EPA.