Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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63. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason the long-term Climate Action Strategy which was to be completed in quarter one 2022 as set out in the Annex of Actions of the Climate Action Plan 2021, has not been completed. [28240/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Ireland’s Long-term Climate Action Strategy (LTS) is currently being finalised and will be submitted to the European Commission this quarter. Ireland prepared a draft of the LTS in 2019 in line with the then climate ambition set out in Ireland’s Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. However, with the Programme for Government commitment to substantially increase our climate ambition, including our 2050 objective, submission of Ireland’s draft LTS to the European Commission was paused to ensure it fully aligned with our enhanced climate ambition.

In July 2021, Ireland’s Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 was enacted giving legal effect to a 2050 climate neutrality target. The Act also provides for a 51% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030, compared to 2018 levels, and puts in place a rigorous governance structure, including a requirement for Government to prepare a National Long-term Climate Action Strategy at least once every five-years.

As we finalise Ireland’s LTS, we are ensuring that the ambition aligns with our recently legislated for national climate targets, as well as making a strong contribution to the overall EU ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and achieving an interim reduction in overall EU greenhouse gas emissions of 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Similarly, the LTS will support our commitment to the international objective of limiting global warming to 1.5°C relative to pre-industrial levels, as established under the Paris Climate Agreement, and recently reaffirmed in the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Ireland, as one of several Member States still to submit its Long-term Climate Strategy, has continued to engage with the European Commission on this issue, and has fully appraised the Commission of the approach as set out above.