Ministers across various departments in both this government and future ones will be subject to a ‘comply or explain’ system of enforcement and monitoring as part of the sectoral emissions ceilings under the carbon budgets.
This approach will see ministers – when a sector of the economy they have responsibility for is missing its emissions reduction targets – explaining to an Oireachtas committee what measures they will put in place so the sector gets back on track to meeting targets.
The monitoring of compliance with national and sectoral emissions reduction targets under each carbon budget and sectoral emissions ceiling will be carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) annual ‘greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory’ and its projection reports, as well as the Climate Change Advisory Council’s (CCAC’s) annual report.
The CCAC will be legally required to publish a report by October 30 each year, after which the relevant ministers will be required to appear in front of an Oireachtas committee.
During that committee meeting, the ministers will have to give an account of the compliance of the sector relevant to them on the performance both in implementing Climate Action Plan actions and in adhering to their sector’s emissions ceiling under the carbon budget period.
Where a sector is not in compliance with these targets, the relevant minister will be required to outline what corrective measures are planned.
Ministers will have to respond to any recommendations made by the committee within three months.
Aside from that, the existing governance mechanisms established on an administrative basis by the 2019 Climate Action Plan will remain in place. Under this system, the Department of the Taoiseach will oversee implementation of actions under the Climate Action Plan and publish quarterly progress reports.
The carbon budgets will determine the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that may be emitted in Ireland in a given five-year period.
Drawing up these budgets was the responsibility of the CCAC, which proposed three carbon budgets to Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan on October 25 last.
These carbon budgets – which cover the whole economy, rather than a specific sector – are as follows:
- 2021-2025 carbon budget will see a cut in national carbon emissions of 4.8%;
- 2026-2030 carbon budget will see a cut in national carbon emissions of 8.3%;
- 2031-2035 (provisional) carbon budget will see a cut in national carbon emissions of 3.5%.
Earlier this month, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action recommended that these proposed carbon budgets be adopted by the Houses of the Oireachtas.
A public consultation on the carbon budgets also concluded this month. Minister Ryan is currently considering the budgets and consulting with other ministers. He will amend them if necessary and then present them to the government. After that the minister will propose a motion in both Houses of the Oireachtas for approval of the carbon budgets.
The budgets will have effect from the date on which a motion approving them has been passed by both houses.
After their approval, Minister Ryan will submit the sectoral emissions ceilings in consultation with other ministers.
At present, these ceilings are in ranges, with the agricultural sector expected to face a reduction target of emissions of between 22% and 30%.
After the government has approved the minister’s sectoral ceilings, this reduction target for each sector will become a single figure, rather than a range. Future Climate Action Plans must be consistent with these targets.