Date released: Mar 07 2016
Environmental Protection Agency figures released today show that Ireland is unlikely to meet its 2020 EU greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and cast doubts over efforts to transition to a low carbon economy in the long term.
Ireland’s EU target for 2020 is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the non-Emissions Trading Scheme (non-ETS) sector by 20% on 2005 levels. The non-ETS sector covers emissions from agriculture, transport, residential, commercial, non-energy intensive industry and waste sectors.
The latest projections show that:
Agriculture and transport are projected to account for 76% of Ireland’s non-ETS sector emissions in 2020 (agriculture (47%), transport (29%)). For the period 2014-2020, agriculture emissions are projected to increase by 6 - 7%. Transport emissions are projected to show strong growth over the period to 2020 with a 10 - 16% increase on 2014 levels.
New obligations for Ireland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the years 2021-2030 are being negotiated at EU level in 2016. The further away Ireland is from the 20% reduction target in 2020, the more difficult the compliance challenges in the following decade are likely to become.
Commenting on the figures, Laura Burke, EPA Director General, said:
“Ireland’s economy is beginning to grow again and we must balance our focus on growth with a focus on becoming more sustainable and reducing emissions. The adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change in December provides an ambitious, legally binding framework for global action on Climate Change. In addition Ireland has taken a national policy position that commits us to reducing our carbon emissions by 80 per cent in 2050 on 1990 levels across the electricity generation, built environment and transport sectors while achieving carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land use sectors. However EPA projections indicate that we face considerable challenges to become a low carbon economy. Ireland must follow a pathway to decarbonising energy, transport and heating. We must break our dependence on fossil energy infrastructures. In addition the agriculture, forestry and land use sectors should achieve effective greenhouse gas emissions neutrality by 2050. This will take planning, investment and time but can be achieved in the overall framework of national, EU and global commitments.”
“Ireland’s economy is beginning to grow again and we must balance our focus on growth with a focus on becoming more sustainable and reducing emissions. The adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change in December provides an ambitious, legally binding framework for global action on Climate Change. In addition Ireland has taken a national policy position that commits us to reducing our carbon emissions by 80 per cent in 2050 on 1990 levels across the electricity generation, built environment and transport sectors while achieving carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land use sectors.
However EPA projections indicate that we face considerable challenges to become a low carbon economy. Ireland must follow a pathway to decarbonising energy, transport and heating. We must break our dependence on fossil energy infrastructures. In addition the agriculture, forestry and land use sectors should achieve effective greenhouse gas emissions neutrality by 2050. This will take planning, investment and time but can be achieved in the overall framework of national, EU and global commitments.”
Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections to 2020 – An update is available on the EPA website.
ENDS
Editor’s Note:EU greenhouse gas emission targets and reduction obligations for Ireland are split into two broad categories. The first category covers the large energy and power (i.e. energy intensive) industry which have their emissions controlled under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The second category (which is the subject of this press release) deals with the non-Emissions Trading Scheme sectors such as agriculture, transport, residential, commercial, waste and non-energy intensive industry. The EU’s Effort Sharing Decision (Decision No 406/2009/EC) sets targets for the non-Emissions Trading Scheme sector for EU Member States including Ireland for 2020.
The Environmental Protection Agency produces greenhouse gas emission projections on an annual basis for all sectors of the economy in collaboration with relevant State and other bodies.
Ireland’s 2020 target is to achieve a 20% reduction of non-Emissions Trading Scheme sector emissions on 2005 levels with annual binding limits set for each year over the period 2013-2020. Similar to the 2015 projections, the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated annual limits and a 2020 target for Ireland which incorporates methodology changes underpinning greenhouse gas emission inventories and projections.
To determine compliance under the EU Effort Sharing Decision (Decision No 406/2009/EC), any overachievement of the binding emission limit in a particular year can be banked and used towards compliance in a future year. For example, if non-Emissions Trading Scheme sector emissions for 2013 are below the annual binding limit, the difference can be used towards compliance in subsequent years.
Greenhouse gas emissions are projected to the year 2020 using two scenarios:
The following are key underlying data that underpin this year’s greenhouse gas emission projections: