Minister must immediately implement Oireachtas Committee recommenations for action

Research published this morning by the European Climate Foundation scores the Government's draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), submitted to the EU last December, at 38 out of 100 - a "clear fail" according to the Irish Stop Climate Chaos Coalition. The analysis, carried out by the Ecologic Institute, an academic think tank, and Climact, a consultancy, assesses all 28 EU Member States’ draft NECPs and scores them according to (i) the level of ambition, (ii) the level of detail of the policies and measures described, and (iii) the quality and inclusiveness of the drafting process.

Commenting on the report, Catherine Devitt, Head of Policy for the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition said:

"This analysis confirms Minister Bruton's own assessment of his draft NECP, that it is a 'business as usual plan'. Obviously a score of 38 out of 100 is a clear fail. And business as usual is simply unacceptable.  

"What is imperative now is that the Minister implements the Oireachtas Committee roadmap for action on the urgent timelines they laid out, and that he incorporates all their recommendations in the next draft of his plan.

"The Dáil has declared a climate emergency and endorsed the Oireachtas Committee's pathway to implementing the Paris Agreement. It is essential that the final NECP the Minister submits to the EU before the end of the year fully reflects the urgency and the specificity of the Committee's recommendations."  

ECF Scorecard for Ireland's NECP:


The Government has until the end of the year to submit its final NECP to the European Commission. Minister Bruton has promised a new "all-of-government" climate action plan in the coming weeks.

The European Climate Foundation press release follows below for information

Brussels, 16 May 2019 - None of the 28 EU countries’ draft climate plans is on a pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. Even the highest-scoring climate plan (Spain) scores just 52% across a range of indicators, while the EU28 average is at less than one third. However, there is still limited time to change course. Member States have until the end of the year - when final versions of plans are due for submission, together with national Long Term Strategies - to get on track. They must use this time to deliver coherent climate plans, with proper public consultation, that will insure investment certainty and help to reap the many economic and social benefits of a transition to a net-zero society.

These are the findings of a report - conducted by Ecologic Institute and Climact and commissioned by the European Climate Foundation - launched today (1). This report assesses all the Member States’ draft integrated national climate and energy plans (NECPs) submitted to the European Commission and scores them according to (i) the level of ambition, (ii) the level of detail of the policies and measures described, and (iii) the quality and inclusiveness of the drafting process (up to a maximum of 100 points) (2).

According to the ranking, Spain and France lead the way with 52% and 47%, respectively, followed by Greece (44%) and Sweden (43%). The Slovenian climate plan comes in last with a score of 3%, with Slovakia (12%) and Germany (12%) slightly ahead. The average score for the EU bloc is 29% (3).

This assessment finds that, while the draft national climate plans indicate countries are taking steps towards climate action by 2030, they do not yet live up to the ambitions set by EU legislators and the Paris Agreement. Recurrent problems include limited plans for phase-out of coal and fossil fuel subsidies, few indications on the needed investments, too much use of unsustainable biomass, inadequate public consultation, and lack of explicit effort to back-cast plans from the 2050 goal.

The good news is that there is plenty of scope for improvement. The report identifies several good practices across the draft plans that national and EU policy-makers can take inspiration from and replicate. As the European Commission is expected to release its own assessment and recommendations on the national climate plans in June, Member States will have until the end of the year to review their copy.

An inclusive, socially just transition to net zero emissions can only happen with explicit intention and proper planning. The EU has taken an important step in requiring Member States to set out integrated plans showing how they will eventually arrive at the Paris goal. As this is the first time that Member States carry out this exercise, it is understandable that scores are not yet perfect. But governments cannot afford to miss this unique opportunity to set out ambitious and credible policies. These in turn will attract more public and private financing in clean energy infrastructure, improving quality of life and lowering the cost of the transition for Europe’s citizens.

ENDS

QUOTES

Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation:

“Planning for the future we want starts today. National climate plans are an opportunity to think about the countries we want to have in the next 10, 20 and 30 years. EU countries can either decide to risk a lost decade of climate inaction or make sure the right investments and policies are in place to ensure they reap the economic and social benefits of a transition to a net-zero society.“ 

Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, said:

"More and more EU member states realise that the climate emergency requires ambitious plans for the future. The national climate plans are a key enabler of the clean energy transition, which must now run at its full speed to allow the bloc to drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and boost energy savings and renewable energy by 2030. The more decarbonised European economies get by 2030, the more likely the European Union will be able to contribute to the objectives of the Paris Agreement and prevent dangerous climate change."

WindEurope Head of Advocacy & Messaging Viktoriya Kerelska said:

“Europe has a clear target: 32% renewable energy by 2030. The draft National Energy & Climate Plans must translate this ambition into reality. But none of them give enough detail on the policy measures. Without the details, the Plans just aren’t meaningful. National Governments need to tell the industry when auctions are happening, how permitting will be made easier, how heating and transport will be electrified. This gives investors certainty to plan ahead and further reduce costs. It means jobs: building on the 300,000 people working in wind energy in Europe. It also brings income to local communities. With the right policy measures the National Plans can become an investment brochure for the wind industry.”

Julien Pestiaux, one of the authors of the study, Climact:

“Our work shows that the EU Member States are clearly not in line with a Net Zero 2050 trajectory or any of the scientific findings of the IPCC 1.5C Report. With a few notable exceptions, they also show low ambition when it comes to concretely reaching their renewables and energy efficiency targets and fall short of properly supporting the climate and energy transition required in Europe.”

Matthias Duwe, one of the authors of the report, Ecologic Institute

“These draft national plans are only a first step in the process. And despite the obvious shortcomings, there is also reason for optimism:  positive examples on different aspects can be found in many Member States, which can serve as inspiration for others. Right now we need clear recommendations from the Commission and then much improved final plans by the end of the year.”

Notes to the editors

1. Planning for Net Zero: Assessing the draft National Energy and Climate Plans: https://europeanclimate.org/national-climate-plans-2030/
2. Integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are the new framework within which EU Member States have to plan, in an integrated manner, their climate and energy objectives, targets, policies and measures to the European Commission. The Governance Regulation, within which the NECP framework sits, was adopted in 2018 as part of the Clean Energy Package. It consolidates the existing patchwork of not only planning obligations but also obligations for monitoring and reporting Member States have under the different pieces of EU legislation across energy, climate and other Energy Union related policy areas. It also requires countries to develop Long Term Strategies, with which the NECPs should be consistent. Countries will have to develop NECPs on a ten year rolling basis, with an update halfway through the implementation period. The NECPs covering the first period from 2021 to 2030 will have to ensure that the Union’s 2030 targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions, renewable energy, energy efficiency and electricity interconnection are met. All draft NECPs can be found here.
3. Individual country fact sheets are available here: https://europeanclimate.org/national-climate-plans-2030/