Climate Action Plan 2 to put Ireland on a m LAST November the Government launched Climate Action Plan 2021, “an ambitious plan to put Ireland on a more sustainable path, cutting emissions, and creating a cleaner, greener economy and society”. This follows the Climate Act 2021, which commits Ireland to a legally binding target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050, and a reduction of 51% by 2030. In 2050 my kids will be the same age I am now, so I often think how different their world will look, and how I can contribute now to making that world a better one. I think about how SEAI can help address the potential devastating impacts of climate change on our own country, and on the more vulnerable countries across the globe so it’s not our children’s problem in 30 years. World leaders have gathered in Glasgow this week to discuss the global effort required to prevent global average temperatures from rising more than 1.5° Celsius, threatening our very existence on this planet. We should not fear the effort required; we need to embrace it. It’s not about stopping what we are doing, rather changing how we do things. I am convinced we can create a better country in the process. And, when we share our successes and failures along the way, we will play an even bigger part in the global transformation. We have lots to look forward to; more vibrant and self-sufficient communities, better air quality, better homes for all our citizens, more energy independence, and an economy built on sustainable industries and careers. How will Ireland meet it’s 2050 target of net-zero emissions, economy wide? We need to substitute nearly all of our fossil fuel use with renewables: The target includes energy for heat, electricity and transport, agricultural emissions, industrial emissions, waste and other emissions. To achieve this target, we need to substitute nearly all of our fossil fuel use with renewables and any emissions we do add to the atmosphere is no more than the amount taken away. The public sector will lead here with vastly increased financial supports being provided by Government, the strongest targets for public sector emissions reductions and the prohibition of new fossil fuel heating systems in public buildings after 2023. Other sectors will have to follow suit. Energy use will be electrified: A large amount of energy use in our homes, industries, and transport will be electrified, with that electricity coming from renew12 Education
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able energy resources. There will also be a role for alternative fuels such as bioenergy and later in our journey, for green hydrogen generated from renewable energy.
Chief Executive Officer, SEAI
Changes in how we generate and use energy: We anticipate a revolution in the way we generate and use energy. Community owned renewable power generation, rooftop solar PV, district heating and electricity schemes, new business models in industry, circular resource usage, mobility as a service, more active and public transport, and other major changes will be apparent and present new opportunities in a net-zero society.
William Walsh
"To achieve this target, we need to substitute nearly all of our fossil fuel use with renewables and any emissions we do add to the atmosphere is no more than the amount taken away"
The pathway to net zero is what counts: Many of the technologies exist today that can enable the pathway to net zero, however, these need to be deployed at scale, now (it’s cumulative emissions that count here). We also need to continue to invest in research and development of new technologies and where we are unsure, we need to consider possible emergency response mechanisms to reduce emissions in a hurry. Such responses will be increasingly required if we can’t eliminate fossil fuel burning technologies quickly enough to meet climate goals. Energy efficiency and energy storage: We should not underestimate the role that energy efficiency and energy storage will play across the spectrum in driving down the demand for fossil fuels and making better use of the renewable energy that is generated. Storage technology already exists and with the
