Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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47. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the 2020 annual transition statement will be published as required by section 14(1) of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56523/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Annual Transition Statement (ATS), established under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, served an important function in providing an overview of climate change mitigation and adaptation policy measures adopted to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and to adapt to the effects of climate change in order to enable the achievement of the national transition objective.The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, which amends the 2015 Act, significantly strengthens the statutory framework for governance of the climate challenge. The new framework ensures delivery of successive Climate Action Plans and Long-term Climate Strategies, supported by a system of carbon budgeting and sectoral targets with appropriate oversight by government, the Oireachtas and a new Climate Change Advisory Council.

The 2021 Act introduces greater accountability arrangements with an enhanced role for the Oireachtas. Ministers will have to give account for their performance towards sectoral targets and actions before an Oireachtas Committee each year. This replaces the previous Annual Transition Statement process.

Notwithstanding this, I propose to prepare an Annual Transition Statement for 2020, which is to set out information on developments in respect of 2019, as was required under the 2015 Act (before it was amended). I intend to publish the Statement by the end of the year.