The biggest blockage to Ireland’s progress on achieving legally-binding cuts in carbon emissions “remains our dependence on expensive, harmful fossil fuels”, the Climate Change Advisory Council has warned.
The independent body, which advises the Government, criticised reliance on fossil fuels which were subsidised by €4.7 billion of taxpayers’ money in 2024.
In its final evaluation for 2025 published on Thursday, it said some progress was made in achieving emissions reductions in the 2021-2025 period, set out in the country’s first carbon budget which limits greenhouse gases permitted across the economy.
Instead of the maximum emissions of 295 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2eq) set out for the five-year period up to 2025, Ireland will “overshoot by about 10 Mt CO2eq”.
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This means most sectors will have to apply more stringent limits for the 2026-2030 period, by which time the country is supposed to have cut emissions by 51 per cent compared to 2018 levels.
The council highlighted “this overshoot will need to be paid back in the next carbon budget ... making it increasingly difficult to achieve”.
Once again, it called out the transport sector, “where emissions remain stubbornly high”.
The Government and the public can do more collectively and individually to make significant emissions reductions, it said.
The council called for increased expenditure on public transport “ensuring efficient, reliable and timely services”; increased grants for less expensive electric vehicles and rapid implementation of a demand management strategy to help drive down emissions in this sector.
The council emphasised the critical role local authorities play in driving climate action at community level, especially through flagship “decarbonisation zones”, which create momentum and deliver locally tailored solutions for households and businesses.
The council underlined the opportunity Ireland has to invest in decarbonising households, communities and businesses, “rather than paying extremely punitive compliance costs estimated to be up to €26bn for failing to meet EU targets”.
Council chair Marie Donnelly added: “In our first carbon budget period, progress has undoubtedly been made in the built environment with the roll out of retrofits in our homes, increased uptake of protected urea in agriculture and growth in the development of renewable energy, especially wind and solar.”
“However, we need to redesign how we commute, heat homes, and power the economy. That means real investment in people, infrastructure, and communities, not more delay,” she said.
“We have the opportunity and the resources to transform Ireland, both in terms of reducing emissions and preparing for future climate events,” Ms Donnelly said. “We must act now because if we don’t, we will pay the financial and societal price by losing out on secure and affordable energy, a healthier and more sustainable society, both today, and for future generations.”
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