CLIMATE TARGET 2050 THE CLIMATE ACTION AND LOW CARBON DEVELOPMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL 2020 HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR SURVEYORS.
T
he Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020 was published on October 7, 2020, and is described by the Government as an ambitious piece
of legislation. It commits us, in law, to move to a climate-resilient and climate-neutral economy by 2050, and amends the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 to address a previous criticism of that Act, which was its failure to identify specific targets. The Bill will also provide a mechanism to agree, review and enforce Ireland’s climate plans, and sets out a framework by which every industry will be called upon to help the country to reduce emissions and protect the environment. The Bill is part of the wider EU movement towards a greener economy with the aim of assisting Ireland in meeting its EU 2030 emissions targets. Those targets are based on the recently published European Green Deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 across Europe, with the overarching objective of putting Europe on a responsible path to becoming climate neutral by 2050. The Programme for Government, agreed in June 2020, commits to a 7% average yearly reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The key features of the new Bill are: n putting Ireland’s 2050 climate target into law; n carbon budgets, including a provision for setting sectoral targets; n an annually revised Climate Action Plan and a 10-year National Long-Term Climate Action Strategy; n a strengthened role for the Climate Change Advisory Council; n a requirement for all local authorities to prepare individual climate action plans, which will include both mitigation and adaptation measures; and, n new oversight and accountability by the Oireachtas.
FEATURE Barra McCabe BL Barrister-at-law and former surveyor
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SURVEYORS JOURNAL Volume 11, Issue 1, Spring 2021
