Ireland well behind schedule on emissions reduction targets

The current energy crisis has served to underscore Ireland’s overreliance on fossil fuels and will undoubtedly galvanise efforts to meet our climate targets and sustainability goals.

Yet Ireland, with one of the most ambitious emissions reduction targets in the world, is – like its contemporaries – well behind schedule.

While some commentators praise our clear goals and legislative commitment, others say drastic action will be needed to ensure we reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Next year’s Cop28 will see a global stocktake of climate action progress across the globe. How will Ireland fare? The signs aren’t good.

The recent Eurostat report for September 2022 showed that Ireland’s emissions are back to pre-pandemic levels – and we had the third-highest level of greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the EU in the first quarter of 2022.

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already warned that “urgent” implementation of climate policies is needed for Ireland to meet its climate targets, and added that if additional measures are not taken before 2030, just an 11 per cent reduction in carbon emissions will be achieved by then.

Regardless, Ireland is now on a legally binding path to a 51 per cent reduction in emissions by the end of this decade, says Russell Smyth, head of sustainable futures with KPMG.

“Ireland’s 2030 emissions reduction target is one of the most ambitious in the world, only second to Denmark, when compared off the same baseline,” says Smyth. “These targets and trajectories are aligned with the EU goals, and compare favourably on a global basis.”

Yet recent estimates suggest that Ireland has already used some 36 per cent of its 2021-2025 carbon budget, with only 70 per cent of the time remaining.

“Urgent action is required to make up this shortfall by exceeding the planned 7 per cent annual reduction across the remainder of the decade, Smyth says.

“Ireland is definitely behind target and decisive action is urgently needed in the upcoming Climate Action Plan 2022 if we are to stay within our carbon budgets.”

Stephen Prendiville, EY Ireland head of sustainability, notes that 2025 is flagged as needing to be the year of peak emissions globally.

“I would imagine that all goals will come under scrutiny at that point and re-evaluation of what is necessary could well occur,” he says.

“Ireland is definitely out in front having articulated clear goals and giving them a legislative underpinning via the Climate Act. A lot of the mechanics are in place to support our goals. Unfortunately, resources – people in particular – continue to be a reported bottleneck on progress.”

This has seen Ireland lag behind on its carbon budgets for the past two years, he says.

Prendiville suggests that other pinch points may manifest in the coming years, including the delivery of necessary enabling infrastructure such as electricity grid upgrades, renewable generation connections, and EV charging infrastructure etc.

“It is critical that we maintain a forward look as the plan is being executed such that we don’t lose valuable momentum. The three trilemmas around supply chains, inflation and energy security, exacerbated by the invasion of Ukraine, have hindered progress on a number of fronts.

“But they also create opportunity for acceleration on the climate agenda – a transition to indigenous green energy will protect the economy and insulate businesses from future fossil fuel volatility.”

Strategic Power Connect supports high energy users through the installation of renewable energy systems including solar panels.

“I believe the Government are in no doubt that a collective mix of renewable energy systems can meet climate targets. The commitment to renewable energy will help businesses secure their energy supply, reduce their energy bills and also reach their sustainability goals through our energy supply agreement,” says Paul Carson, managing director of Strategic Power Connect.

Collectively, domestic and commercial Ireland need to look at ways to reduce their fossil fuels use and look toward alternative, renewable and sustainable energy to support the country in meeting its goals, Carson says.

Yet he says a change in planning legislation is needed when it comes to renewable energy projects.

“We are in the midst of an energy crisis, and we need to see renewable energy applications given timely consideration. Grid connection remains a problem and we eagerly await a decision on ‘private wire’ policy, which will enable the roll out of renewable energy projects for large energy users.”

One of Skillnet Ireland’s recent publications, Talent for Ireland’s Green Economy 2022, revealed that 91 per cent of firms surveyed were aware of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan and the majority of them were implementing plans to address climate change in the next five years.

Irish businesses are at different points on the sustainability journey, agrees Tracey Donnery, director of policy and communications at Skillnet Ireland. Yet demand for, and engagement with Skillnet’s Climate Ready programme has been “exceptional”, she says.

“In its first year, Climate Ready has supported more than 1,600 companies and 3,200 people across all sectors of the Irish economy. Demand for the programmes is very strong in 2022 and will exceed the first year.”

Donnery adds that, at an industry level, Skillnet is seeing high levels of interest from companies (and workers) keen to engage with a range of its talent development supports in sustainability.

“These range from offshore wind, sustainable finance, biodiversity waster and the circular economy,” she concluded.