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Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, has welcomed the Committee for Climate Action’s launch of the pre-legislative report on the Climate Action Bill.

The report contains recommendations by members of the Oireachtas Committee which will be considered by the Minister for Climate Action when redrafting the Bill before it’s introduced in the Dáil.

Deputy Whitmore, who is a member of the committee and Social Democrats spokesperson for Climate Action and Biodiversity, said:

“All of us in the committee have worked very hard for the past 10 weeks to build this consensus report. It has been a very positive process, with members working together to build on the recommendations raised by experts who made presentations to the committee on this Bill.

“As a crucial piece of legislation, I was delighted to see many of my amendments on biodiversity issues incorporated into the final text of the report, which I believe will help foster a more uniformed approach to climate action by the State. I also welcome the inclusion of my amendments on just transition and, importantly, that recommendations on strengthening the language and the inclusion of interim targets were also incorporated.

“However, I had asked for more ambitious targets to be included, which weren’t adopted and which I will be putting in as amendments when the Bill progresses through the various Dáil stages. I hope that the Minister for Climate Action, when he redrafts the Climate Action Bill, will incorporate the recommendations as outlined in the report before the Bill is introduced in the Dáil.

“It is at that stage I will be proposing my remaining amendments, including those calling for more ambitious targets to further strengthen the Bill. It is important that this piece of legislation is groundbreaking in our approach to climate change and represents a transformative move towards climate action that is consistent, impactful and fair.”

December 18, 2020

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