Emergency action is needed from the Government if Ireland is to meet its climate targets, a climate group has said. 

Today, Minister Darragh O’Brien will seek approval for this year’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) to Cabinet. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Stop Climate Chaos spokesperson Oisín Coughlan said Ireland is “making some progress” on slashing emissions but is still “off track” from official targets. 

“The EPA is calculating that so far from the actions that the last Government has accumulated, we’re getting to a 29% reduction in emissions and pollution by 2030,” he said. 

“The target in law is 51%.

“Every year, they’re supposed to update the climate action plan to put in place what they say are correct measures to ratchet up the action and ratchet down the pollution.”

Two wind turbines against the backdrop of a rising sun. Image: Ian Dyball / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Coughlan described the CAP as the “first big test” for the Government and said while he would like to be optimistic, it believes it is “hard to tell” if they are serious, 

“The Government has fine words in the Programme for Government about abiding by the law, reducing pollution to 50% and having these plans,” he said. 

“And it has stronger language than the last Programme for Government - particularly on fossil fuels.” 

Public transport

Mr Coughlan said progress on a Cork Luas is “something at least” but urged the Government to do far more to encourage people to take public transport. 

“We know we need more road space for buses, for cyclists, for walking - and that does mean we lose the odd parking space,” he said. 

“We saw the big hoo-hah about the Sandymount cycle lane; we know that when people see the changes in practice, they like them. 

“We’re going to have to have the courage to have the proper planning processes to make the decisions that actually get us there.” 

Scientists have warned that on current trends the planet is on track for “really quite catastrophic” climate change.

The Department of Climate, Environment and Energy has been contacted for comment.

Main image: Wind turbines and powerful sea waves on the coast of Wexford. Picture by: Bernard Golden / Alamy