In this week’s sustainability/ESG bulletin we bring you news of the Institute’s participation in Ireland’s National Climate Stakeholders Forum; the publication of Ireland's sectoral emissions targets; the rise in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions, and the signing into law of Ireland’s landmark Circular Economy Act. Also covered is a revised Statement on the Role of Data Centres to balance ‘green’ and ‘digital’ transitions, and new initiatives in Northern Ireland for electricity system flexibility and to support Belfast City Centre’s revitalisation.
Ireland’s National Climate Stakeholder Forum
Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Sustainability Officer, Susan Rossney, represented the Institute at Ireland’s second National Climate Stakeholder Forum this week, joining policy makers and key stakeholders from industry, civil society, trade unions and state bodies.
The forum is one of the key actions identified in the Climate Action Plan 2021 to drive active engagement in shaping Ireland’s sustainable future. The forum discussed Citizen Engagement, Climate Literacy & Communications; Offshore renewables; Sustainable Mobility; Heat; Land Use Strategy; and Just Transition. Closing the event, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, TD, said that delivery now needs to be Ireland’s focus in meeting the country’s ambitious climate action targets.
Speaking to RTÉ News, Susan Rossney commented: “it is imperative for all businesses and all organisations to consider that if they don’t act now the amount of work that will need to be done to catch up is going to be beyond the abilities of a lot of organisations”.
Sectoral emissions ceilings announced for Ireland
The Irish Government has this week published Sectoral Emissions Ceilings, which limits the maximum greenhouse gas emissions for each sector of the Irish economy to the end of the decade. Each sector is required to reduce how much greenhouse gas it emits by the following:
- Electricity 75 percent
- Transport 50 percent
- Buildings (Commercial and Public) 45 percent
- Buildings (Residential) 40 percent
- Industry 35 percent
- Agriculture 25 percent
- Other 50 percent
Commenting on the today’s announcement, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar noted that the enterprise sector is committing to a 35 percent reduction in emissions by 2030, and said that the Government is committed to helping businesses make the changes and take advantage of the opportunities that will come: “We will provide advice and expertise, grants and loans to reduce energy use, increase the use of electricity and, in time, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage and other new technologies.”
Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2021
Figures published last week by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 4.7 percent in 2021 compared to 2020. Emissions are now 1.1 percent above the levels they were at in 2019 before COVID-19. Commenting on the figures, EPA’s Director General Laura Burke said that “The data show the scale of change needed within and across all sectors of Ireland’s economy to make sustained progress in reversing this trend and to meet our EU commitments and National greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.”
Ireland’s Circular Economy Act signed into law
Landmark legislation that aims to transition Ireland from a “take-make-waste” linear model to a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption has become law in Ireland, receiving cross-party support as it passed through the Dáil. The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 plans to introduce levies on single-use packaging, and to ensure that Ireland has a fit-for-purpose regulatory system in place to allow certain materials to be safely and sustainably re-used as secondary raw materials. Find out more about the circular economy and business in the Resources section of our Sustainability Hub.
‘Green’ and ‘digital’ considerations in Ireland’s revised Statement on the Role of Data Centres
The Irish Government has published a revised Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy which aims to align the “twin transitions” of digital and green. The revised Statement, which updates the original Government Statement on Data Centres published in July 2018, adopts a set of principles that aim to harness the economic and societal benefits that data centres bring. Data centre developments which are not consistent with these principles would not be in line with government policy. The new Statement fulfils commitments under the 2021 Climate Action Plan and the 2022 National Energy Security Framework.
The announcement comes as the European Commission approves a €500 million Irish investment support scheme aimed at incentivising companies to accelerate or expand capital investment in Ireland, including in relation to green and new digitalisation technologies, for greater competitiveness and productivity. The aid will take the form of direct grants and will be open to companies active in sectors such as manufacturing, information and communication, scientific and technical activities. It is expected to benefit up to 500 companies.
Innovations in Northern Ireland
The UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched the Flexibility Innovation Programme, which seeks to enable large-scale widespread electricity system flexibility through smart, flexible, secure, and accessible technologies and markets. Up to £65 million will be made available under the scheme, which will fund innovation across a range of key smart energy applications.
In other news, Belfast City Council has opened a pilot capital grant scheme to bring vacant Belfast city centre spaces back into use and support the city centre’s revitalisation. The Vacant to Vibrant Capital Grant Scheme has allocated £700,000 to support start-ups, independent retailers, social enterprises and cultural and voluntary organisations to make the Belfast city centre offering more diverse and transform vacant spaces to become vibrant. The scheme is open for two years from 7 July 2022, and applications will be awarded funding on a first-come, first-served basis.
Of interest
- Good Clothes, Fair Pay is a campaign seeking 1 million signatures from EU citizens to demand living wage legislation across the garment, textile and footwear sector.
- Earth Overshoot Day was on July 28. It marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year.
Upcoming events
You can find information, guidance and supports to help members understand sustainability and meet the challenges it presents in our online Sustainability Centre.