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 greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the effects of climate change in order to enable the achievement of Ireland's National Transition Objective.The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, 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. Under the 2021 Act, Ministers will have to give an account of their performance in relation to their sectoral targets and actions before an Oireachtas Committee each year. This framework replaces the previous ATS process.

Notwithstanding the changes introduced by the 2021 Act, I intend to publish an ATS for 2020. This ATS will set out information on developments in respect of 2019, as was required under the 2015 Act before it was amended. My Department has finalised the Statement following engagement with the relevant stakeholders. The next step is to schedule time in each House of the Oireachtas for relevant Ministers to present their Statements and my Department is liaising with the Dáil and Seanad offices in this regard.