Ireland has set an ambitious target of being a carbon-neutral country by 2050. To achieve this goal, the Irish government has developed the Climate Action Plan, which outlines a comprehensive strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable living.
The plan focuses on six vital high-impact sectors – Powering Renewables, Building Better, Turning Transport Around, Making Family Farms More Sustainable, Greening Businesses and Enterprises, and Changing Our Land Use. In this blog post, we’ll explore each sector in detail and see how Going Solar can help Ireland achieve its climate goals.
What is a Climate Action Plan?
It is a comprehensive strategy for addressing the challenges of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It outlines the actions, policies, and investments needed to achieve long-term sustainability and reach net-zero emissions.
The goal of a CAP is to mitigate the impact of climate change on our communities, environment, and economy and to ensure that future generations can enjoy a healthy and prosperous planet.
How Will It Help Reach Net Zero Emissions?
The Climate Action Plan will achieve its goals by combining measures such as decarbonising the power sector, increasing energy efficiency in buildings, reducing transport emissions, making family farms more sustainable, greening businesses and enterprises, and changing land use. All these actions are designed to reduce emissions and move Ireland towards a cleaner, more sustainable future.
What Are the Key Sectors Targeted in Climate Action Plan 2024?
Ireland’s Climate Action Plan recognises the role of six vital high-impact sectors in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These sectors are power, buildings, transport, agriculture, industry, and land use. Here is a closer look at the goals and initiatives outlined for each sector:
Powering Renewables
This sector aims to achieve a 75% reduction in emissions by 2030. The focus will be on the large-scale deployment of renewables, including onshore wind, offshore wind, and solar. The following initiatives are planned:
- Deploying 9 GW of onshore wind, 8 GW of solar, and at least 7 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
- Supporting 500 MW of community-based renewable energy projects and increased micro-generation.
- Phasing out coal and peat in electricity generation.
- Developing a Green Electricity Tariff by 2025 to incentivise the use of lower-cost renewable electricity.
Building Better
The target for this sector is a 45% reduction in commercial/public building emissions and a 40% reduction in residential building emissions by 2030. The following initiatives are planned:
- Retrofitting 120,000 dwellings to BER B2 by 2025 and 500,000 by 2030.
- Installing heat pumps in 45,000 existing and 170,000 new dwellings by 2025 and up to 400,000 existing and 280,000 new dwellings by 2030.
- Generating 0.8 TWh of district heating by 2025 and 2.5 TWh by 2030.
Turning Transport Around
The goal for this sector is to achieve a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030. The following initiatives are planned:
- Improving town and city planning and adopting the Avoid-Shift-Improve approach to reduce the need for travel.
- Reducing the total distance driven by all cars by 20%.
- Walking, cycling and public transport account for 50% of journeys.
- Ensuring that nearly 1 in 3 private cars will be electric vehicles.
Making Family Farms More Sustainable
The target for this sector is a 25% reduction in emissions by 2030. The following initiatives are planned:
- Reducing the use of chemical nitrogen as a fertiliser.
- Increasing the uptake of protected urea on grassland farms.
- Expanding organic farming to up to 450,000 hectares.
- Growing the indigenous biomethane sector through anaerobic digestion.
Greening Business and Enterprise
This sector aims to achieve a 35% reduction in emissions by 2030. The following initiatives are planned:
- Decarbonising industry and enterprise.
- Reducing clinker content in cement and using lower carbon construction materials.
- Reducing fossil fuel use from 64% of final consumption (2021) to 45% by 2025 and further by 2030.
- Growing the circular economy and bioeconomy.
Changing Our Land Use
The exact reduction target for this sector has yet to be determined. The following initiatives are planned:
- Increasing annual afforestation rates to 8,000 hectares per year from 2023 onwards.
- Rethinking the Forestry Programme and Vision.
- Improving carbon sequestration of grasslands and reducing the management intensity of grasslands.
- Rehabilitating 77,600 hectares of peatlands.
What Are The Benefits Of The Climate Action Plan?
A Cleaner Environment
The plan will help to reduce Ireland’s carbon footprint and lead to a cleaner, greener environment. This will benefit public health, as well as wildlife and natural habitats.
A Boost to the Economy
Transitioning to a low-carbon economy will create new job opportunities and stimulate economic growth. As the demand for clean energy and efficient technologies increases, businesses in these sectors will grow, providing a much-needed boost to the economy.
Better Quality of Life
The Climate Action Plan will help improve Ireland’s quality of life by reducing air pollution and protecting public health. A cleaner environment and a more sustainable economy will benefit future generations and create a brighter future for all.
Increased Energy Security
By reducing Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels, the Climate Action Plan will increase energy security and reduce the country’s vulnerability to energy price spikes.
Meeting International Obligations
The Climate Action Plan is an important step towards meeting Ireland’s international obligations under the Paris Agreement, which calls for countries to limit global temperature increases to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.
How Going Solar Supports the Climate Action Plan?
Going Solar is committed to playing its part in helping Ireland reach its net zero emissions target by 2050. The company is helping households and businesses generate their own clean, renewable energy and reduce their carbon footprint by providing solar panel services. By harnessing the power of the sun, Going Solar is helping to decarbonise the energy sector and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Join the Movement: Take Climate Action Today!
It’s clear that the Climate Action Plan is a crucial step towards a sustainable future for Ireland. By setting clear targets and implementing effective policies, we can reduce emissions, create green jobs, and ensure a better quality of life for future generations. The six vital high-impact sectors will play a key role in reaching net zero emissions, but it’s important that we all do our part.
Every action counts, from reducing energy consumption in our homes to choosing more sustainable modes of transportation. Let’s work together to make Ireland a leader in the fight against climate change. Call us today to know how can we help you.
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