Carbon budgets to be set by the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) are to be announced at any moment as regulations were cleared by Cabinet on Tuesday 12 October.

The regulations reference the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and EU regulations that govern carbon accounting.

This will govern which greenhouse gases (GHGs) will be included in the carbon budgets and will cause great debate and discussion on actions to be taken by different sectors.

The budgets will limit the amount of carbon which can be released by different sectors and the aim of these budgets is to cut GHG emissions and contribute to the effort to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal last week Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett stated that because gases like methane act differently this will be factored into agriculture’s targets.

New members appointed to the committee

Four new members were also appointed to the CCAC on Tuesday 12 October. They are as follows: Dr Cara Augustenborg; Dr Morgan D Brazilian; Sinéad O’Brien; and Jillian Mahon. This also leads the way for the Climate Action Plan (CAP) to be published.

A critical part of our transition to a low-carbon society is the provision of accurate and timely advice

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan stated that the new additions to the council were important for the implementation of the CAP.

“A critical part of our transition to a low-carbon society is the provision of accurate and timely advice.

“The CCAC needs to have a broad and diverse balance of skills and experience that will advise Government on both carbon budgets and progress on implementation of the CAP.”