The government’s climate plan has been dismissed as a gesture which contains no real policies for meeting Ireland’s emissions targets.
The National Mitigation Plan, which was published yesterday, outlines more than 100 initiatives aimed at decarbonising the economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Motorists could face a reduction in the motorway speed limit to 110km/h and the Dart line may be extended to Balbriggan by 2022. It also contains measures to make electric and low-emission vehicles appealing to buyers and plans to find cleaner fuel for Moneypoint power station.
AA Ireland, the lobby group, called the transport proposals disingenuous and said they ignored reductions in CO2 emissions from new cars. Conor Faughnan, the spokesman, branded the reduced motorway speed limit “a gesture”. Friends of the Earth Ireland said the plan was more of an “action promise than an action plan”.
Eamon Ryan, the Green Party leader, said that there was no detail in the plan on how Ireland would achieve emission reduction targets. “There are plenty of plans for yet more reviews, consultations and further economic analysis, but precious little commitment to direct climate action that would set us on the right road,” he said.
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Mr Ryan called on ministers to commit to ending the use of coal and peat in power generation, rule out further oil exploration in Irish waters and increase spending on cycling and walking to 20 per cent of the transport budget.
Róisín Shortall, co-leader of the Social Democrats, said the plan amounted to wishful thinking. “We see a national plan which amounts to a repackaging of existing commitments. The key to transforming the country to achieve reductions in carbon emissions is investment — and the number one blockage is the lack of ambition in the government’s capital plan.”
Timmy Dooley, the Fianna Fáil spokesman on climate change, said that a lack of political leadership had led to the country failing to reach its targets. “Ireland does not need endless lists of outmoded ideas and half-hearted plans. We need real, credible action that will bring about the emissions reductions that we need,” he said.
Denis Naughten, the minister for climate action, said the plan was a first step in getting government to address the issue of greenhouse gases. “As a country, we are playing catch-up on our obligations in relation to climate change,” he said. “This obligation is as much an opportunity as an obligation.”
The plan includes reviews over the next few years, such as one on the future of peat power plants and another setting out what subsidies should be given for fossil fuels.
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It has a goal for all new cars to be zero emission by 2030 and that HGV speed limits should be reduced to 80km/h.
It recommends 14 compressed natural gas refuelling stations be set up and a grant scheme for electric vehicles by 2020. Retrofitting of homes is also recognised as an important factor in energy efficiency, with a special scheme to see 1,500 properties upgraded, while landlords will come under pressure to have minimum thermal standards.
Guidelines on wind energy are to be finalised next year, while government planners are also being asked to consider approaches to integrated policy that would reduce travel demand and encourage more walking, cycling and public transport as well as more efficient and cleaner transport.