Sinn Féin spokesperson on the Environment and Climate Action, Darren O’Rourke TD, has criticised the government for their regressive response to the climate crisis.

Emissions reductions have failed to progress at the pace required meaning Ireland will almost certainly miss our 2030 targets while there are increasing numbers of people left behind in the process, leaving any hope of a ‘just transition’ even further out of reach.

Commenting the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released today, the Meath East TD said:

“Today’s report confirms what Sinn Féin and others have been saying for some time now – that this government’s deeply inequitable plan is doomed to certain climate failure.

“Even if all the actions listed in the government’s latest Climate Action Plan were fully implemented and on time, this would still fall far short of our 2030 targets.

“Progress is not just slow, in fact, it has stalled under this government.

“The reality is that Ireland is no closer now to achieving our climate objectives than we were this time last year. According to the projections, an absolute best-case scenario would only yield a 29% reduction in emissions – the exact same figure as last year.

“Things may be even worse than that, however. Given the pace at which this government is progressing, a reduction of even 29% may be extremely wishful thinking. For example, the final progress report on the 2023 Climate Action Plan (CAP23) indicated that their overall implementation rate for the year was just 65%.

“This means that government has only implemented two thirds of the measures of a plan that, even if perfectly realised, will undoubtedly fail to achieve our 2030 targets. This was confirmed by the Climate Change Advisory Council’s report last week, as well as the EU Commission’s assessment of the government’s NECP.

“The reality is that government’s regressive approach to climate action simply will not work. An approach that prioritises punitive measures over supply-side investment and that disproportionately burdens ordinary workers and families while the biggest emitters are let off the hook scot-free is not only deeply inequitable, it is also wholly inadequate.

“Sinn Féin has been resolute in our determination that in order to achieve progress on climate action, we must pursue it through the lens of a just transition. We need a plan that is not only ambitious in scale and pace, but ensures that ordinary workers, families, farmers and small businesses are not left behind.

“The conclusion from today’s report is clear. Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens are failing on climate action. Sinn Féin are not the only ones stating this fact. The calls to urgently change tack are growing louder and more numerous. It is high time this government started paying attention before it is too late.”