Labour calls for urgent rollout of annual carbon budgets
Labour calls for urgent rollout of annual carbon budgets - The Labour Party
- Climate Change Advisory Council warning today should ring alarm bells
Labour’s climate spokesperson Deputy Ciarán Ahern has today called for the immediate rollout of annual carbon budgets, warning that Government inaction is putting Ireland’s climate targets and communities at risk. Responding to today’s stark warning from the Climate Change Advisory Council that climate impacts are already being felt across Ireland, Deputy Ahern said Government must align climate policy with fiscal planning.
Deputy Ahern said:
“The warning from the Climate Change Advisory Council should ring alarm bells across Government. Climate change is not a future threat. It is already hitting communities across Ireland. We are seeing it in the storms, like Storm Chandra, that batter homes and infrastructure in winter and in the drought conditions experienced across 13 counties last summer. The crisis is here, and people are living with the consequences.
“Labour has been clear. We need annual carbon budgets, and we need them now. Without them, climate targets remain little more than promises on paper. Carbon budgets must be aligned with annual fiscal decisions so that every budget reflects the urgency of the climate crisis and drives real investment in the transition.
“Climate action cannot be treated as an afterthought. It must shape how Government spends, invests and plans. Without that alignment, Ireland will continue to miss targets, delay action and leave communities exposed to worsening climate impacts.
“This is a test of political leadership. Government must stop dragging its heels, stop relying on those who deny the climate crisis, and deliver the annual carbon budgets needed to drive real change. We need urgent action to protect our communities, meet our targets and secure our future. The time for delay is over.”