Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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67. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the Climate Action Plan 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53512/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, enacted in July 2021, commits Ireland to achieve a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050, and provides for a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. The Act also significantly strengthens the overarching climate governance framework and embeds a process of carbon budgeting, including sectoral emission ceilings. The plans and strategies established on a statutory footing under the Act will require that policies are put in place to ensure carbon budget ceilings are not breached. Putting these requirements in legislation places a clear obligation on this and future governments for sustained climate action.

I am currently finalising an ambitious set of climate actions, through a new Climate Action Plan, that will set indicative sectoral emission ranges for 2030. This will mean more renewable energy, decreased transport emissions, changes in how we heat our homes and how we grow our food and look after our land. The Climate Action Plan will have a strong focus on implementation, including actions with specific owners, timelines and steps needed to achieve each action. Under the new legislation, my Department will update the Climate Action Plan every year so that our actions keep step with the trajectory required to achieve our targets.