In June 2022 the EPA published a report assessing Ireland’s total projected greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 – 2040. The report includes an evaluation of Ireland’s progress towards achieving its ambitions set out in the Climate Action Plan, the low Carbon Development Act 2021 and its EU 2030 emissions reduction targets.

• The report found that for Ireland to achieve 51 per cent emissions reduction and become climate neutral by 2050, urgent implementation of all existing climate policies is required, as well as the adoption of additional measures.
• Two projection scenarios are presented: an Existing Measures scenario and an Additional Measures scenario. The scenarios highlight that there is a significant gap between the 5-year carbon budgets that were recently approved by the Oireachtas and Ireland’s projected emissions for the budget periods.
• Under the Additional Measures scenario, renewable energy is expected to account for 78 per cent of electricity generation by 2030 with an associated decrease in Energy Industry emissions from 2021-2030. However, with recent increases in coal usage and energy demand from data centres, Ireland’s clean energy targets are being threatened, particularly for the first budget period from 2021-2025.

As Ireland’s Climate Action Catalyst, LIFE IP Peatlands and People aims to contribute to national emissions reductions targets by rewetting peatlands to convert them from a carbon source to a carbon sink; supporting sustainable economies and communities with a green business accelerator programme; and instilling the natural beauty of Ireland’s peatlands in visitors far and wide with the Peoples Discovery Attraction.

Read the full EPA report here.