Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA presentation to Smurfit Business School Sustainability Club...
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Transcript of Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA presentation to Smurfit Business School Sustainability Club...
UCD Micheal Smurfit Business SchoolSustainability Club Seminar
Ireland becoming a low carbon
competitive economy
Laura BurkeDirector General
EPA
17th October 2012
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
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
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
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
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
A Profile of EU greenhouse gas emissions – 80% below 1990 levels
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
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.
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
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
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
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
How to realise these opportunities?
A marginal abatement cost curve for Irish agricultu re – Teagasc Submission to National Climate Policy C onsultation
How to realise these opportunities?
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
Behavioural change
Requires:� Information� Leadership (by doing!)�� Regulation� Incentivisation
�Taxation� Investment (e.g.
subsidies, infrastructure)
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
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
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
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
� 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!)
� 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
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