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The government’s record is a litany of failure

The government’s revised climate action plan is not worth the paper it’s written on unless the targets are actually met, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore.

“Climate change is an existential crisis, but all this government has offered to date as a response is aspiration and missed targets. Setting ambitious targets is easy. It is the delivery that is hard. Regrettably, the government’s record is a litany of failure.

“When questioned on their record of climate failure in the Dáil on Saturday, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan said the government would meet its climate targets because it has to meet them. Evidently, the policy platform can be distilled to “wing-and-a-prayer”.

“I have repeatedly told the Minister that I wish him success – because it is important for everyone on this island that he does succeed. Unfortunately, I have no confidence in this government’s ability to deliver. Last year, our emissions went up by more than 5%. This year, they are expected to rise by 6%.

“The government has said it wants 500,000 homes retrofitted to a BER 2 standard by 2030. It has done just 6,000 homes to that standard this year. It says it wants 400,000 heat pumps installed by 2030. A meagre 1,400 have been installed this year. When it comes to electric vehicles, the target is to have 945,000 on the road by 2030. In April of this year, that figure was 54,000.

“Clearly, the government is adept at publishing glossy plans, that set out lofty goals – but talk is cheap. The reality is the plan is not worth the paper it is written on unless it is actually delivered and there is nothing in this government’s record that suggests it is on track to do that.”

“This government excels at climate rhetoric, not climate action,”

21 December, 2022

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