This week, on Wednesday (July 14) in particular, there will be significant developments in the area of climate-related legislation.
At home in Ireland, the contentious Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 will go back to the Dáil having been passed in the Seanad on Friday (July 9). The bill, with its amendments, will have to be passed in the Dáil before it is then signed into law by the president.
Minister Eamon Ryan’s goal has been for the bill to be enacted in the autumn of this year.
The process first began on October 7, 2020, when the government published its draft text of the bill, the initial step in setting the country on course to become climate neutral by 2050.
EU Fit for 2030 climate legislation
Also on Wednesday, the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will hold an exchange of views on the ‘Fit for 2030 / Fit for 55’ package with the European Commission executive vice-president for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans.
Timmermans will present the upcoming legislative package, which aims to align climate and energy policies with the new objectives of the EU Climate Law, which increases the EU’s 2030 emissions reduction target from 40% to at least 55%.
The European Parliament voted to adopt the new EU Climate Law on June 24. The law will “transform” the European Green Deal’s political commitment to EU climate neutrality by 2050 into a binding obligation.
The Fit for 2030 package comprises, among other things, legislative proposals for the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS); an amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive and Energy Efficiency Directive to implement the ambition of the new 2030 climate targets; and measures to reduce methane emissions in the energy sector.
There will also be a revision of the regulation on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) and a revision of the directive on deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure.