Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will adopt at the European Council the position of Irish MEPs and that of the European Parliament on the EU climate law, which sets an ambition of at least a 60% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030; if he will support the European Parliament’s position; and the implications that has on the Programme for Government’s ambition of 51% emissions reduction by 2030. [31125/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050. This objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal and in line with the EU’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement. The European Commission has just presented its plan to reduce EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. This level of ambition for the next decade will put the EU on a balanced pathway to reaching climate neutrality by 2050. It is intended that both the 2030 and 2050 targets will be enshrined in the EU Climate Law. Parliament and Council have been invited to confirm this 55% 2030 target as the EU's new Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement, and to submit this to the UNFCCC by the end of this year. Legislative proposals to implement the new EU 2030 target will be presented by June 2021, and additional effort will be asked of all Member States, including Ireland.

Ireland fully supports the enhanced ambition at EU level to increase the EU 2030 target to at least 55% emissions reduction as set out in the Commission’s EU 2030 Climate Target Plan, and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To this end, Ireland is one of 12 countries who have signed a joint statement ahead of the European Council in October on strengthening EU climate ambition and agreeing on increasing the 2030 climate target to “at least 55 percent” this year.

The Programme for Government sets out significant increased climate ambition for Ireland, committing to an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030 and to achieving net zero to emissions by 2050, the latter being consistent with the EU 2050 ambition. The next iteration of the Climate Action Plan will set out, on an economy-wide basis, how the 2030 ambition in the Programme for Government might be achieved. A subset of that Plan will ultimately deal with Ireland’s contribution to the EU 2030 target and any increased ambition in a revised Effort Sharing Regulation, the framework which sets Member States’ emissions reduction targets for 2030.

In addition, the purpose of the Climate Action (Amendment) Bill which is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny is to strengthen the governance structure in supporting Ireland's response to climate breakdown. The Bill will:

- Set the 2050 decarbonisation target in law.

- Provide for the adoption of five-year carbon budgets, setting maximum emissions by sector.

- Strengthen the role of the Climate Change Advisory Council, including in relation to proposing appropriate carbon budgets.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the distinct characteristics of biogenic methane as mentioned in a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31154/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its 21st Session in Paris in 2015, invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to provide a special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways.

The IPCC Special Report, published in 2018, increased understanding of the global carbon budgets for that goal and distinguished the importance of reaching and sustaining net-zero global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, while concurrently achieving deep reductions in non-CO2 gases such as methane and nitrous oxide. The report provides modelled emission pathways consistent with the 1.5°C goal. While the global carbon budget is focused on CO2 as the main driver of global warming, the report also enhanced understanding of the required emission reduction pathways for other major greenhouse gases. In pathways limiting global warming to 1.5°C with limited or no overshoot, the report shows CO2 emissions reduced to net zero by 2050. However, this report also points out that non-CO2 emissions, including methane, while being reduced, will not reach net zero globally.

Thus, the scientific consensus is clear, we must reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 to ensure we protect our planet and our country from the most severe impacts of global warming. This Government is committed to an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030, equivalent to a 51% reduction over the decade and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. A key aspect of delivering upon this commitment will be enacting a 2050 target in law through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020. The Bill also defines how five-year carbon budgets will be set, including sectoral decarbonisation target ranges, ensuring every sector must contribute towards meeting this target through agreed policies, actions and measures.

The development of appropriate carbon budgets for Ireland will be informed by science and the expert advice of the Climate Change Advisory Council who will propose carbon budgets to the Minister.

The Bill provides that any plans or strategies to achieve the carbon budgets and 2050 target will acknowledge the special economic and social role of agriculture and the distinct characteristics of biogenic methane. While, as acknowledged, it is not necessary for biogenic methane emissions to reach net zero, nor would this be an attainable goal, the agricultural sector has an important role to play in reducing emissions as far as is technologically possible, and to contribute to carbon sequestration and fossil fuel displacement. Land use offers significant potential to sequester additional carbon and constitutes an opportunity both for farmers and for rural areas. This potential will be fully explored to curb the emissions, as well as to create jobs and diversify farmers’ income. The Government will evaluate the potential for contributions towards our climate ambition from land-use improvements, and set in train the development of a land-use plan based on its findings.