Government must stop dithering on emissions
Government must stop dithering on emissions - The Labour Party
- EPA warning should ring alarm bells targets
Labour’s Climate spokesperson Ciarán Ahern TD has slammed the Government’s failure to deliver on its climate obligations following the publication of updated greenhouse gas emissions projections from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which show Ireland is set to miss its 2030 climate targets. The EPA analysis reveals that even if every policy and measure currently planned by the Government is fully implemented on time, emissions would only fall by up to 23% by 2030—well short of the legally binding target of 51%. Labour is calling for urgent political leadership, meaningful annual carbon budgets, a fully funded national adaptation plan, and a just transition that prioritises workers and communities.
Deputy Ahern said:
“This EPA report lays bare what we already feared—under this conservative Government and their limp climate policies, Ireland is not on track to meet our emissions reductions targets. Despite repeated warnings from scientists, experts and communities that climate risks are accelerating, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil continue to delay and dodge responsibility. Time is running out, and yet all we get from the Government is more promises, more plans, and no delivery.
“The climate crisis is the existential challenge of our time. It threatens our homes, our health, our economy, our way of life and our planet. Every year we delay, the cost of inaction rises.
“It is unfathomable to me that at a time when the need to move towards greener, more sustainable energy sources is so obvious, this Government has decided to reverse a ban on fracked gas so that they can import dirty LNG fuel and are charging ahead with the construction of even more data centres. We know that these energy-guzzling data centres will need to be powered by fossil fuels for the foreseeable future because we’re so far behind on our renewable infrastructure; offshore wind in particular.
“The era of fossil fuels should already be over. What we need now is a rapid and just transition that protects workers, supports communities and future-proofs our economy and environment. That transition can’t be left solely in the hands of the private sector where profit trumps all other considerations. Only the State has the resources, the reach, and the responsibility to drive this. We need serious investment and real leadership—not more empty rhetoric.
“People across the country want action, not more excuses. They are doing their bit—cutting waste, retrofitting homes, changing how they travel—but they cannot do it alone. It is the job of Government to lead from the front.
“Labour is calling for a renewed sense of urgency to tackle this crisis and avoid climate disaster. We need annual carbon budgets that actually mean something, a national climate adaptation plan that prepares us for worsening extreme weather, and a just transition that prioritises people and communities. There can be no more excuses. Government must act immediately.”