Increased oil, coal and car use are risking Irish climate targets according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
The national energy authority’s latest annual analysis of Energy in Ireland found energy related CO2 emissions were up 5.4% in 2021.
The SEAI says two significant drivers were rebounding car use post-Covid as well the increasing use of coal and oil to create electricity.
Its director of research and policy insights, Margie McCarthy, warned today: “The Energy in Ireland findings show we are heading in the wrong direction.”
Ms McCarthy says while the country’s legally binding carbon budgets required a 4.8% cut in emissions in 2021 - “we have an increase in energy emissions of 5.4%”.
“Ireland has set strong targets in our carbon budgets, and legally enshrined them,” she added.
“We cannot afford to lose focus on the fact that these are annual budgets. Every year counts.
“If a target is missed one year, then the following years become more challenging.
“We must urgently move to renewables and use less oil, gas, coal and peat for our energy needs today to avoid making our future years even more challenging.
“We need a combination of increasing our generation of renewable electricity and switching to low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicles, district heating and heat pumps.
“In addition, we need to use less energy and use it more efficiently through building efficiency upgrades and through changes in how we travel, at an unprecedented scale.”
SEAI has called for urgent action as its estimates suggest a further 6% increase in emissions for 2022.
In 2023, they are calling on the Government to:
- Develop further onshore and offshore wind and solar
- Develop more energy storage and electricity interconnection
- Increase journeys where we walk, cycle or take public transport and decrease those in petrol and diesel vehicles
- Deploy district heating networks at scale to replace gas and oil use for heating
- Replace petrol and diesel vehicles with electric vehicles
- Upgrade the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a BER B2 rating or higher
- Use more heat pumps in place of oil and gas boilers to heat buildings
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is expected to unveil its updated Climate Action Plan next week, providing an enhanced policy package and action list aimed at reversing the current emissions trends.
Ms McCarthy added: “Preliminary data for 2022 suggests that energy-related emissions have increased further, putting us even more behind our targets than anticipated.
“For those wishing to get started on eliminating fossil fuel use today, SEAI offers a range of advice and Government funded support for householders, businesses, and communities who want to reduce their use and make the switch to renewables.
“These supports include grants for home energy upgrades, electric vehicles, energy upgrades to businesses and community buildings, and a range of supports for sustainable energy communities.
“We urge people to join the thousands who have already taken action and we thank those that have started their journey to decarbonisation. Any chance of staying within our carbon budgets depends on it.”
For information on these supports and advice on how to reduce your use and energy bills, visit seai.ie.
A DECC spokesperson said: “Unfortunately emissions across the globe and here in Ireland are going in the wrong direction, particularly post-Covid.
"The report underlined the urgent need to redouble our efforts to reduce our emissions in every sector of our economy.
"It also gives added momentum to the new climate action plan 2023 which will be published next week, and will outline actions that have to be taken to turn our emissions around.
"The SEAI also outlines what has to be done - to reduce our CO2 - including deploying renewable energy and reducing energy use.”
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