laura burke, director general of the epa presentation to smurfit business school sustainability club...
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UCD Micheal Smurfit Business SchoolSustainability Club Seminar
Ireland becoming a low carbon
competitive economy
Laura BurkeDirector General
EPA
17th October 2012
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Contents
� Need for a low carbon economy� Ireland Greenhouse Gas Emissions� Models for a low carbon economy� Plans and challenges for Ireland� Plans and challenges for Ireland� Behavioural Change
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Need for a low carbon economy
� Climate Change� Primary environmental and societal challenge� High dependence on fossil fuels � Agriculture, land use and land use changes
� Global Actions� UNFCCC and Kyoto, adopted 2C goal under a shared vision
2009/10� Emissions to peak before 2020 and reduced by 50% by 2050
� EU Action� Leader on global actions � Advocate for the 2C goal, since 1997 � 20%-30% reduction by 2020, 80% reduction 2050**Based on IPCC 4th Assessment Report, 2007
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50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
kt C
O2e
q
Irish Greenhouse Gas Trends 1990-2011
+27%-4%
-15%
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
kt C
O
Energy Residential Industry & Commercial Agriculture Transport Waste
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Sectoral Emission Trends 1990-2011
5
10
15
20
25
Mto
nnes
CO
2eq
0
Energy Residential Industry & Commercial
Agriculture Transport Waste
Energy20.8%
Residential11.5%
Industry & Commercial
14.0%
Agriculture32.1%
Transport19.7%
Waste1.8%
2011
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Projected Emissions: 2011- 2020
30
35
40
45
50
eq, M
tonn
es
0
5
10
15
20
25
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
CO
2eq,
Mto
nnes
Agriculture Transport Residential Energy Industrial & Commercial Waste Annual Limits
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A Profile of EU greenhouse gas emissions – 80% below 1990 levels
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A Profile of what Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions might look like to 2050
100%
120%
140%
100%
120%
140%
Energy
Residential
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Industry & Commercial
Transport
Agriculture
Waste
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Sweden
� Climate Bill 2008/9� An emissions- neutral country by 2050� Swedish Environmental Protection Agency drawing up
scenarios and policy instrument proposalsscenarios and policy instrument proposals� Minister for the Environment appointing a reference group
with representatives of environmental organisations, the business sector and the research community, among others
� an active dialogue and collaboration - regional and municipal level, the business sector and the research community.
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Norway
� Adoption of a carbon tax in 1991.� 70% of GHG emissions covered by economic instruments
� Carbon Neutral by 2030� Carbon Neutral by 2030� 30% reduction by 2020
� One of three largest buyers of carbon credits in world� Purchase of carbon credits to supplement domestic efforts� Aim to be a catalyst for market development
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EPA – Low Carbon Economy
� National Framework� Needs actions that have a long term perspective� Focus should be on domestic action� All sectors must contribute� All sectors must contribute� Cost effective mitigation solutions available
� SEAI and Teagasc MACC curves
� Need to understand drivers of action and inaction� Transport and Agriculture
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Legal Basis
� National Climate Strategy 2000 and 2007� 2011- Development of national climate policy
� Independent Study by NESC� Policy options 2020- June 2012� Transition to a low carbon future by 2050- Dec 2012
� Public consultation� Public consultation� Consideration by Oireachtas Committee and stakeholders
� Climate Change Legislation likely� Head of Bill likely in late 2012 or early in 2013� Bill by the end of 2013 � Implementation will be critical
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Irish Challenges and Opportunities
� Unique Greenhouse Gas Profile within the EU� Transport and Agriculture
� 50% of total emissions 2011� 71% of non EU- ETS emissions
� Agriculture � Unique profile in the EU � Are there opportunities? Land use, bio-energy, others� Not-unique globally: New Zealand and most developing countries
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How to realise these opportunities?
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A marginal abatement cost curve for Irish agricultu re – Teagasc Submission to National Climate Policy C onsultation
How to realise these opportunities?
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Irish Challenges and Opportunities
� Energy� 21% emissions 2011
� Highly Electrified Economy� Large scale use of renewable energy (wind, wave, tidal, solar and
biofuels) � Decarbonise other sectors
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Behavioural change
Requires:� Information� Leadership (by doing!)�� Regulation� Incentivisation
�Taxation� Investment (e.g.
subsidies, infrastructure)
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Putting a price on carbon – emissions trading
15
20
25
2eq
-9%-16%
+1%-9%
0
5
10
15
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Mto
nnes
, CO
2
30% drop in emissions from the Emissions Trading Se ctor between 2005 and 2011
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Putting a price on carbon - carbon tax
� The carbon tax was first applied in 2010 to mainly, the non-traded sectors, transport and heat in buildings
� In transport – emissions have fallen by 22% since peak in � In transport – emissions have fallen by 22% since peak in 2007
� Recession and other policy influences at play but carbon tax has also played a role?
� Carbon tax has yet to be applied to coal and peat, the most carbon intensive of all fossil fuels
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166.1 167.7 167.2 166.7 167.9166.1
161.7164.0
158.2
144.0150
160
170
180
Incentives- CO2 emissions of new cars
144.0
132.8
128.0125.8
100
110
120
130
140
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
CO2 g
/km
Source : SEAI (2012).
Change in VRT and Motor Taxfor new cars
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Resource Efficiency
� Global population 9 billion by 2050� 3 billion more middle class consumers � Increases in demand for resources
� OECD� Resource Use at existing level a barrier to future economic growth
� Resource Efficiency
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� Resources Efficiency programme for hotels, catering companies & restaurants
� Resources use mapping (waste, water, & energy)� Certification & Award scheme, 270 members
o 140 of which are hotelso 140 of which are hotelso Representing >16% of Irish Hotels
� In 2011: o 6,400t waste reduction (equivalent to >6,000 households)o 352 million litres water savedo 39M kWh energy saved
� In 2011 €5.6M saved by members (recurring saving too!)
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� Partnership Resource Efficiency programme with Heal th Services Executive
� Resources use mapping (waste, water, & energy) � Concentration on Food Waste� 30 healthcare facilities participating� 30 healthcare facilities participating
- 50% of national Acute beds in Ireland (~8,000 beds)- ~800 Community care beds
� 1,700t food wastage identified, costing €3.7M/annum (for purchase, prepare & dispose)
� ~800t non-risk waste in Risk Waste Bins, costing ~€700,000 per annum� 2,000 t recyclable waste in Residuals bins, costing €220,000 per annum
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Conclusions
� Now is the time to set both the right level of ambition and the right pace of transition to a low-carbon economy
� Choice is not between growth and non-growth – it is between high-carbon growth and low-carbon growthhigh-carbon growth and low-carbon growth
� Deployment requires clear, consistent and effective policies and incentives
� Changes in lifestyle and behaviour barriers need to be addressed - potential for wide ranging, long-term impact