National Mitigation Plan: Climate action or regulatory effort?

A sample of the proposals in the National Mitigation Plan with their current statuses and comments from interested parties .

Proposal: To reduce motorway speed limits from 120km/h to 110km/h for cars and from 90km/h to 80 km/h for heavy goods vehicles

The plan says the aim is to result in more efficient driving behaviour that leads to a reduction in fuel consumed. However, the AA says the move is a “gesture” at best. Spokesman Conor Faughnan said policymakers observe there are CO2 emissions from transport and then set about to frustrate the use of the car. He called for an analysis of the contribution of family cars to overall transport emissions and said the Government “should get behind electric vehicles”.

Status: Under consideration

Proposal: Further incentives for low-emission vehicles (including electric vehicles)

The plan says the incentives would be “to support the uptake of low-emission vehicles (EVs) in the national fleet”. Current EV numbers are very low at just 3,400 according to the mitigation plan.

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Joe McCarthy of the Irish Electric Vehicle Owners’ Association has criticised a determination from Revenue that employers who install electric vehicle chargers are leaving owners liable to benefit-in-kind tax.

While there have been significant improvements in range – up to about 550km, there are large gaps in the infrastructure, with just one fast charger listed in Co Kerry, for example.

Status: ongoing

Proposal: Electrification of rail line to Balbriggan

The plan notes the projects in the Government’s capital plan include extending the Dart to Balbriggan by 2022, ongoing city centre resignalling and a new control centre as well as the commencement of building Metro North in 2021.

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said discussions were under way with the National Transport Authority as to which would begin first, electrification of the Maynooth or the Balbriggan lines.

Status: Ongoing

Proposal: Agricultural decarbonisation measures to continue

Much of the plan’s proposals in relation to agriculture are ongoing. Farmers currently participate in programmes such as Bord Bia’s Origin Green scheme and the Department of Agriculture’s Beef Data and Genomics Programme and the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (Glas).

However, IFA environment chairman Thomas Cooney said more than 9,000,000 tonnes of carbon savings from forestry generated by farmers was in danger of being disregarded. Mr Cooney said climate policy should be implemented in compliance with the international Paris Agreement in a manner that does not threaten food production and food security.

Status: Ongoing

Proposal: Decarbonise electricity generation

A new Renewable Energy Support Scheme is currently being designed and is expected to be presented by 2018.

The mitigation plan also proposes grid improvements, discussion of future international connectivity and that a study be undertaken on the costs and savings arising from renewable energy by 2019. Further proposals in this area include finalising new wind energy guidelines by next year and “ultimately” a move away from higher-emission fuel types such as coal and peat.

Approaches to community participation in renewable energy projects are to be finalised this year with solar power being one of the technologies under consideration for the scheme. It is proposed that a study be carried out on a suitable low-carbon replacement for Moneypoint coal-fired electricity generation station by 2019.

Oisín Coughlan of Friends of the Earth criticised the lack of an end date for burning peat and coal electricity.

“There’s nothing concrete on supporting small-scale solar to actually enable communities take part in the energy transition by making schools, sports clubs and parish halls into locally-owned power plants, something the Taoiseach [Leo Varadkar] himself says he supports” Mr Coughlan said.

Status: Ongoing