This report analyses the policy measures approved already and calculates their impact once fully implemented. Its projection shows that if all current climate policies are implemented, Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions would only drop by 29% by 2030, way below the 51% target they legally must meet.

The country is still exceeding the carbon budget by 24% to 34%.

Laura Burke, director of the EPA, pointed out there are only seven years left to 2030 and that Ireland has to start delivering on their projects and work on new ones.

The EPA also warns about extra greenhouse emissions brought about by strong economic growth will cancel out all the good that’s been done so far, saying how this underlines the importance of transitioning to renewable sources.

Ms. Burke, while speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, admitted the 51% threshold is possible, but “each sector really needs to grasp the nettle, get on with it.” She continues, saying it isn’t “just one sector. We’ve tended to kind of focus on one sector or another. It is at all sectors” which need to focus more heavily on climate access.

“We have committed at an EU level and the EU target has been set at 42%, It’s less than 51%, but it’s still a long way off 29% off and we’ve legally committed to it,” she explained. “chFailure isn’t an option.”