The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten T.D., launched a statutory public consultation on Ireland’s first National Mitigation Plan (NMP). Prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015, the Plan represents an initial step to set us on a pathway to achieve the level of decarbonisation required. In this context, Ireland’s first plan will not only contain measures to address the challenge to 2020, but equally importantly will also begin the development of medium to long term options to ensure that we are well positioned to take the necessary actions in the next and future decades.
The first NMP will not be a complete roadmap to achieve the 2050 objective, but rather a work in progress reflecting the reality of where we are in our decarbonisation transition. It is intended that the NMP becomes a living document, accessible on the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment’s website, which is continually updated as ongoing analysis, dialogue and technological innovation generate more and more cost-effective sectoral mitigation options.
Inviting the public to provide feedback to his Department on the mitigation options set out in the draft Plan, Minister Naughten said: “Preparation of Ireland’s first statutory National Mitigation Plan represents a hugely important first step by this Government in enabling our transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050. Ireland faces significant challenges in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and this will be a long journey. It is vital now that interested stakeholders have their say as part of this public consultation to inform our ongoing work in finalising the Plan.”
The draft National Mitigation Plan includes four chapters, addressing the Electricity Generation, Built Environment, Transport and Agriculture, Forest and Land Use sectors. These chapters provide the relevant sectoral policy context, the greenhouse gas emissions trends for each sector, the opportunities and challenges and the measures which are currently in place and those which are under consideration. Within each sector a range of measures are already in place, guided as appropriate by relevant sectoral policies and strategies. The draft Plan also presents options for additional measures that could be implemented by the Government to further reduce Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions.