Published: Friday, July 4, 2025
CHAIR'S STATEMENT: Publication of Ireland’s Provisional 2024 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
Date: 04 July 2025
Marie Donnelly, the Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, has said the new provisional greenhouse gas emissions data published today by the EPA are disappointing, falling far short of government targets. While some progress is being made with an overall 2% decrease in national emissions because of positive actions being taken across society, the Government’s planned actions must be intensified, accelerated and fully delivered across all sectors.
“Significant emissions reductions across all sectors are urgently required to meet our national and international commitments. More of the same will not deliver the results we need and the insufficient progress on emissions reductions reinforce the recent concerns raised by the Council and the Fiscal Council about the risk of the high cost on failing to comply with our obligations under EU law,”
“Stronger policy implementation is essential across a number of areas. These include measures to upgrade Ireland’s energy grid, speed up the roll out of electric vehicles, and support changes in farming practices which would cost just one-tenth of capital spending planned by the Government out to 2030[1].”
The Council is particularly concerned with the increase in emissions from Residential, Commercial and Public Buildings which point to continuing high dependency on fossil fuels. Ending our reliance on fossil fuels as quickly as possible is not only essential for the climate but is also good for our health, energy security, the environment and our pockets. Greater efforts are required across all sectors to help them remain within their sectoral emissions ceilings for the first and second carbon budgets.
The Council recently made a series of recommendations for the Electricity and Transport sectors with a strong focus on capital investment to deliver the transformative public transport and renewable energy infrastructure. The 2025 National Development Plan review must demonstrate increased ambition for public transport investment. A step change in investment and political support at national, regional and local levels for upgrading electricity grid infrastructure is vital for achieving renewable energy targets and ensuring a sustainable, reliable and resilient electricity supply.
Additional, credible policy pathways are urgently required to close the gap to legally binding carbon budgets. This will help Ireland achieve energy independence, avoid future compliance costs, reduce cost volatility for consumers and business as well as helping to maintain our competitive economy in a low carbon world. By delaying investment to deliver these reductions, the Government is increasing the risk and costs required to comply with targets that have already been agreed. In short - it is better to make the investments now for households, communities and businesses, rather than paying large fines in a few years.
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] Ireland’s climate action and the potential costs of missing targets FINAL.pdf
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