Overview
- The Environmental Protection Agency's projections published Wednesday show that even with all promised measures implemented Ireland can only cut emissions by about 25% under the Climate Act definition and 23% under the EU definition by 2030.
- Transport is the sector showing the biggest improvement because electric‑vehicle uptake has risen in projections but it still depends on at least 751,000 EVs on the road and higher biofuel blends to deliver up to a 28% fall in transport emissions.
- Residential emissions savings have weakened to a projected fall of up to 18% by 2030 due to lower uptake of home energy improvements such as heat‑pump installations.
- Planned renewable projects are now expected to supply roughly 52–59% of electricity by 2030 but delays to offshore wind and interconnectors have reduced near‑term emissions savings and increased reliance on imported power.
- Large areas of forestry reaching harvest age are set to turn the sector from a carbon sink to a source while a joint Fiscal Advisory Council and Climate Change Advisory Council estimate that missing 2030 targets could cost Ireland €8 billion to €26 billion in fines and carbon purchases.