Publication
Long-term Strategy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
Ireland’s current Long-term Strategy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions sets out indicative pathways, beyond 2030, towards achieving carbon neutrality for Ireland by 2050. The Strategy builds upon the decarbonisation pathways set by the carbon budgets, sectoral emissions ceilings and Climate Action Plan 2023, to ensure coherent and effective climate policy. It is underpinned by analysis of transition options across each key sector of the economy and provides a crucial link between Ireland’s 2030 climate targets and the long-term goal set by Ireland’s National Climate Objective and the European Climate Law.
The Long-term Strategy covers, with a perspective of at least 30 years:
- total greenhouse gas emission reductions and enhancements of removals by sinks
- emission reductions and enhancements of removals in individual sectors, including electricity, industry, transport, the heating and cooling and buildings sector (residential and tertiary), agriculture, waste and land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF)
- expected progress on transition to a low greenhouse gas emission economy, including greenhouse gas intensity, CO2 intensity of gross domestic product, related estimates of long-term investment, and strategies for related research, development and innovation
- the expected socio-economic effect of the decarbonisation measures, including aspects related to macro-economic and social development, health risks and benefits and environmental protection
- links to other national long-term objectives, planning and other policies and measures, and investment
The current strategy has been shaped by cross-departmental input and responses received from a wide range of stakeholders to a public consultation in 2019 that remain very much relevant in the current policy context. A summary document of the 26 consultation questions and 409 responses received is available below.
Public Consultation on Ireland's Long-term Strategy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction - Summary of Responses
Given the important climate policy developments since then, a second consultation will launch shortly. This will form the basis for preparing an updated Strategy by the end of this year as committed to in the Annex of Actions that accompanied Climate Action Plan 2023.
