Climate Action Plan December 2021

The Climate Action Plan is an ambitious but achievable plan to which all sectors, from energy to transport to agriculture to business will contribute.

Through better use of our land, a move away from the ‘take-make-waste’ model to a more circular reduce, reuse and recycle one, and transformative changes in how we heat and power our homes, workplaces and businesses we will be empowered to play our part in making our country more resilient and secure a better future for all.

Climate Change and Covid-19

Tackling the Covid-19 Pandemic has rightly been the primary focus of the last two years. However, climate change has continued largely unimpeded by the Pandemic and, in some respects, has been exacerbated by it.

It has become clearer that combatting climate change requires an unprecedented commitment from every household, every business, every community and indeed every country on our planet.

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

Securing our Future

Tallaght South

Cllr. Baby PEREPPADAN

T: 087 2930719

E: bPereppadan@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie

Rathfarnham-Templeogue

Cllr. David McMANUS

T: 085 1045044

E: dmcmanus@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie

T: 01-6183196

E: colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie

The Climate Action Plan will channel and focus all of our efforts to cut emissions, create new greener jobs, protect our people and communities and ultimately secure the future of our planet. Dáil

Rathfarnham-Templeogue

Cllr. Lynn McCRAVE

T: 087 2985840

E: LMcCrave@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie

Firhouse – Bohernabreena

Cllr. Brian LAWLOR

T: 087 6445472

E: blawlor@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie

For Dublin Frances FITZGERALD MEP

E: frances.fitzgerald@europarl.europa.eu

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

‘Securing our Future’

‘Climate Action Plan – Securing Our Future’ is an ambitious plan that will help all of us make the changes – big and small – needed to protect our planet and protect our future.

Fine Gael taking action on Climate Change

Fine Gael, as the lead party in the 2016 – 2020 government, established a Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Action, followed by an All-Party Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action. The work of the Assembly and the Special Committee culminated in the first whole-of-government ‘Climate Action Plan to tackle Climate Breakdown’ in 2019. An ambitious plan, it set out actions across energy, transport, waste, agriculture and enterprise, among others.

Through the Plan, we introduced carbon budgets and sectoral targets, set up the Climate Action Delivery Board in the Department of Taoiseach, set up an independent Climate Action Advisory Council, and put climate action at the heart of government policies such as Ireland’s International Development Plan – a Better World.

We’ve also ensured that the concept of a ‘Just Transition’ continues to be central to our country’s plan, recognising that climate change can have a disproportionate impact on some sectors and communities.

THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

Sector by Sector

Changing our Electricity System

We will achieve a reduction in emissions of between 60 and 80%. We will do this through:

Increasing the proportion of renewable energy sources, like wave and solar, to 80% of our energy mix by 2030

Reaching an increased target of 5 Gigawatts of offshore wind energy which will enable us to electrify other sectors like heat and transport and reduce emissions in these sectors also

Enhancing supports for householders and introduce a new small-scale generator scheme for farmers, businesses and communities to generate their own electricity and feed this back into the grid

Delivering new transmission grid connections and interconnectors with Britain and the rest of Europe –vital for exporting renewably-generated electricity.

Investing in our Transport Services

We will achieve a reduction of up to 50% in emissions from the transport sector. We will do this through:

Funding to provide the infrastructure needed to enable half a million more daily journeys by walking, cycling or public transport by 2030

Accelerating the transition to electric vehicles with over 940,000 EVs on Irish roads by 2030, supported by a robust charging network

Continuing the electrification of our public transport network including railways and buses and exploring the use of hydrogen as a fuel for transport

Ensuring that almost all new State vehicles are electric from 2023 onwards.

Upgrading and retrofitting our Buildings

We will achieve a reduction of between 44% and 56% in emissions from lighting and heating our buildings. We will do this through:

Introducing a new National Retrofit Plan to make retrofitting more affordable and accessible and produce warmer, more comfortable homes

Installing over 600,000 heat pumps in new and existing homes and commercial buildings by 2030

Ensuring emissions from public sector buildings are reduced by 50%

Rolling-out district heating systems which will heat water as well as buildings in urban communities

Embedding a culture of remote and hybrid working to enable one in five public sector workers to remote work at any one time.

Making Agriculture more Sustainable and Making Better use of our Land

We will achieve an emissions reduction of between 22% and 30% while helping Irish farms to continue to be world-class food producers. We will do this through:

More environmentally friendly farming practices including reduced fertilizer use, earlier finishing of animals, enhanced feeding practices, improved breeding and genetics of animals and incentivising organic farming, biomethane and energy production.

Better, more sustainable land use including improved forestry management, increased afforestation plans and the creation and maintenance of carbon sinks through better soil management.

limate Change is the greatest threat ever to face us. The science is irrefutable, the effects are stark, clear and here. Each one of us has a duty to take action now to stop climate change, reverse the damage and save not just the planet but humanity.