Published: Tuesday, October 22, 2024
CHAIR’S STATEMENT: Q1 2024 Quarterly Emissions Indicator Report
The new quarterly emissions indicator report published today is a welcome addition to the suite of EPA outputs on Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions and provides a timely insight into how emissions are changing in 2024. The figures, whilst encouraging in certain sectors, unfortunately reinforce the recent messages from other reports and that it is increasingly unlikely that the necessary levels of emissions reductions are being achieved to put Ireland on a pathway to realising its national and EU mitigation objectives.
In particular, the rise in transport emissions in Q1 2024 by 2.7% compared to Q1 2023 is a particular concern. The Council has called for a review of taxation in this area to ensure that all incentives are properly aligned towards the necessary reductions in emissions. Fossil fuel subsidies in this sector need to be phased out.
Emissions from buildings also increased by 5.8% due to increased energy demand for heating, associated with a colder winter and relatively lower energy prices. This demonstrates the need for significant rollout of decarbonised heating systems as soon as possible.
Government must show leadership and take the action required to ensure that Ireland can quickly capitalise on its own natural resources that are available and to accelerate the end of our dependence on fossil fuels. Ireland imported fossil fuels at a rate which is in excess of €1,000,000 per hour[1] in 2023, a situation that is simply unsustainable. Supporting households and businesses to make sustainable choices and the right investments whilst ensuring that the most vulnerable are given maximum support, will yield benefits to our health, energy security, the environment and our pockets.
The Council will publish the last element of its Annual Review 2024, the Cross Sectoral Review tomorrow.
[1] Publications | Climate Change Advisory Council (climatecouncil.ie)
Notes to Editors:
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[1] https://data.cso.ie/table/TSA09
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