Ireland must be a leader on climate change, not a follower

Speaking at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis at the weekend, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Richard Bruton T.D. said, “The decisions we make now in tackling climate change will define the next century.

“Ireland is currently far off course to achieve the CO2 targets to which we have committed.

“I want to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change, not a follower. That will require a significant step change across government.

“Being a leader means acting now, stretching ourselves and seizing the enterprise opportunities in a low carbon economy, including the new circular and bioeconomies. Being a follower means the final costs of adjustment are much higher and opportunities much lower or completely lost.

“It will require a revolution in how we live. Every person, every community, every business, every home and every school will have to make changes in the way we live and work and learn. Nothing less will do if we are to make the changes that are needed to create a sustainable future for everyone.

“I will tomorrow (Tuesday) seek Cabinet approval to develop an all of government plan on which will set out the actions which must be taken in every government department and body, to stimulate the step change we need to achieve across all sectors of our society. The central ambition of this plan will be to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change.

“I will be seeking to work with colleagues across government to develop new initiatives across all sectors of our society. The focus will be on implementation. We will identify actions with clear timelines and the steps needed to get there, and assign clear lines of responsibility for delivery.”