Government sends updated emissions and renewable energy plans to EU in bid to meet 2030 targets

Furthermore, it said more recent initiatives and developments taken by Ireland “are not reflected” in previous modelling.

In its withering opinion issued in February, the European Commission said Ireland would not meet its 2030 emissions reductions or renewable energy targets.

The commission said there was a 31.8% gap between what Ireland must cut in greenhouse gas emissions in relevant sectors by 2030 under EU targets and what it would actually achieve.

Ireland is also projected to fall short of the target of 43% of energy coming from renewable sources. 

While that figure in 2021 was 12.5%, Ireland’s target of 31.4% is “significantly below the 43% required”, it said. 

It said “concrete pathways” were needed to be detailed on how Ireland could reach its goals.

Although the European Commission said it required these responses by the end of June, the updated version of the plan was only sent this month.

The Government acknowledged the shortcomings identified by the European Commission in its previous assessment but said it would take action to address them in its 455-page document.

“It is clear from the projections that there are gaps to many of our targets,” it said.

“This will require further policy development and a broader effort from Irish society at large to ensure that we can close these gaps. 

"While there will be many challenges involved in reaching the ambitious EU targets on GHG emissions, energy efficiency, and renewable energy, the Irish Government is committed to achieving these targets.” 

Since the European Commission gave its assessment in February, the new plan outlines how “extensive efforts” have been made to ensure the points raised were addressed in this final version. 

This has included bilateral meetings with the Department of Environment and the directorate generals for energy and climate of the European Commission.

This has included a step-up in ambition for Ireland’s emissions reduction targets, among a range of other factors.

It said: “The Irish Government has approved and notified to the European Commission an extremely ambitious indicative national energy efficiency contribution for 2030.” 

Furthermore, the Government said its previous National Energy and Climate Plan had taken modelling based on a snapshot in time but “do not lock us into a trajectory to miss Ireland’s targets”.

“Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 6.8% in 2023 with reductions achieved in almost all sectors,” it said. “These figures show us that the policies enacted under previous Climate Action Plans are working.

“It is critical that we build on these achievements and implement, in full, the Climate Action Plan 2024 as well as focus on developing further polices to address areas where we are off trajectory.”