Published: Friday, December 13, 2024
CHAIR'S STATEMENT: Q2 2024 Quarterly Emissions Indicator Report
The second quarterly emissions indicator report published today provides a useful insight into how emissions are changing in 2024. Unfortunately, the figures reinforce recent messages from other reports that it is increasingly unlikely that the necessary levels of reductions are being achieved to put Ireland on a pathway to climate neutrality. Positive indicators in some sectors such as Electricity, Agriculture and Industry are being counter-balanced with static or negative trends evident in other sectors such as Transport and the Built Environment. Failure to reduce emissions in one period or in one sector means that even greater future reductions will be needed to avoid compliance costs and significant fines.
Transport emissions remain largely unchanged. Since 2022 there has been limited evidence of the kind of substantial reductions that will be needed particularly in the second carbon budget period. Significant improvements in the scale, accessibility and reliability of our public transport system alongside changes to the taxation system will be required to ensure that all incentives are properly aligned towards the necessary reductions in emissions.
Emissions from residential buildings increased in the first half of 2024 by 11.2%, arising from higher energy demand for heating, associated with a colder winter and spring and relatively lower gas prices compared to the same period in 2023. This demonstrates the need for significant rollout of decarbonised heating systems such as heat pumps and district heating as soon as possible as pricing and temperature effects still appear to be impacting on emissions trends in this sector.
Government must show leadership and take control of ensuring that Ireland can capitalise on its own natural resources that are available and to accelerate the end of our dependence on imported fossil fuels by 2039. Ireland is currently heavily dependent on costly imported fossil fuels and is therefore vulnerable to shocks to our economy such as the 41% increase in energy prices that occurred in 2022[1]. The right supports must be in place for households and businesses, targeting the most vulnerable, to make sustainable investments that end our reliance on fossil fuels. This will result in benefits to our health, reduced costs, energy independence and Ireland maintaining its competitiveness in a low carbon world.
If you have any questions or are seeking further comment, please do not hesitate to contact: Shane Finnegan (shane@aikenpr.com or 00447764534565) or Seamus Donnelly (seamus@aikenpr.com or 00447729556480)
[1] https://data.cso.ie/table/CPA02
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