Remaining within 1.5C: urgency in the face of inequality – Submission on Carbon Budgets
Remaining within 1.5C: urgency in the face of inequality: Our submission to the public consultation on Carbon Budgets outlines why deep and sustained reductions in emissions must be implemented now, consistent with a 1.5°C threshold, to protect the communities we work with.
The carbon budgets proposed by the Climate Change Advisory Council should be substantially reduced to provide:
- Consistency with Ireland’s Climate Act: ensure the principles of Equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capacities are explicitly accounted for in determining Ireland’s fair share of the global carbon budget for 1.5°C in accordance with s.6A(9)(a) of Ireland’s 2021 Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development (Amendment) Act.
- Consistency with the Programme for Government: ensure the carbon budgets are not reliant on future, unproven “negative emissions” from technological or nature-based sources.
- Consistency with forthcoming EU law: adopt an earlier baseline date for Ireland’s 2030 target to ensure compliance with forthcoming EU law.
- Consistency with the Paris Agreement: ensure the carbon budgets are informed by a “reasonable” chance of remaining within 1.5°C and Ireland’s historical responsibility.
- Consistency with the principles of a Just Transition: ensure that deep and sustained reductions in emissions are implemented now, consistent with a 1.5°C threshold, to enable planning and consultation with most affected communities.
Read the submission in full here.