renewable energy magazine
Ireland’s transition to a low carbon energy future Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, discusses the enormity of Ireland’s renewable energy challenge and the opportunities that lie in raising ambitions. Setting out the context for the huge challenge facing Ireland in its decarbonisation journey, Minister Ryan says that while the existing Climate Action Plan outlined an ambitious reduction of 16 million tonnes of CO2, the reality is that the country must seek to halve its emissions in the next decade. “That has never been done in any country, but it is what we must do, on the understanding that it is going to be good for our economy,” he states, adding that doing so will allow the country to move towards more secure energy, food and transport systems. 4
“It is correct that we be really ambitious, not just because the science requires it but because it is the way the world is going and because we know there are opportunities in our ability to be good at this.” Ryan says that the way Ireland will meet fresh ambitions will be underpinned by the structures, of the Climate Change Advisory Council, and climate law, with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 now signed into law. The law strengthens the existing advisory council, giving it a longer-term perspective to propose a series of three
five-year carbon budgets to the minister, which will in turn inform the next Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action Plan is expected to be published before the end of 2021 and Ryan explains that Government’s focus has been to ensure that ambitions continue to be raised. “I plan to use the climate action plan to integrate climate and energy policies and plans in Ireland. I want to see the annual update to the climate plan to include the actions from all energy sectors. It will integrate our national retrofit plan. It will include policies and measures to support the development
