1. UCD Micheal Smurfit Business School
Sustainability Club Seminar
Ireland becoming a
low carbon
competitive economy
Laura Burke
Director General
EPA
17th October 2012

2. Contents
Need for a low carbon economy
Ireland Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Models for a low carbon economy
Plans and challenges for Ireland
Behavioural Change

3. 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

4. Irish Greenhouse Gas Trends 1990-2011
80,000 -4%
-15%
70,000 +27%
60,000
kt CO2eq
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Energy Residential Industry & Commercial Agriculture Transport Waste

5. Sectoral Emission Trends 1990-2011
25
20
Mtonnes CO2eq
15
10
5
Waste
0 1.8%
Transport Energy
19.7% 20.8%
Energy Residential Industry & Commercial
Agriculture Transport Waste
Residential
11.5%
Agriculture Industry &
32.1% Commercial
14.0%
2011

6. Projected Emissions: 2011- 2020
50
45
40
35
CO2eq, Mtonnes
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Agriculture Transport Residential Energy Industrial & Commercial Waste Annual Limits

7. A Profile of EU greenhouse gas
emissions – 80% below 1990 levels

8. A Profile of what Ireland’s greenhouse gas
emissions might look like to 2050
140% 140%
120% 120%
Energy
100% 100%
Residential
80% 80%
Industry &
Commercial
60% 60% Transport
40% 40% Agriculture
Waste
20% 20%
0% 0%
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

9. Sweden
Climate Bill 2008/9
An emissions- neutral country by 2050
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency drawing up
scenarios 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.

10. Norway
Adoption of a carbon tax in 1991.
70% of GHG emissions covered by economic instruments
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

11. EPA – Low Carbon Economy
National Framework
Needs actions that have a long term perspective
Focus should be on domestic action
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

12. 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
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

13. 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

14. How to realise these
opportunities?

15. A marginal abatement cost curve for Irish agriculture – Teagasc Submission to National Climate Policy Consultation
How to realise these
opportunities?

16. 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

17. Behavioural change
Requires:
Information
Leadership (by doing!)
Regulation
Incentivisation
Taxation
Investment (e.g.
subsidies,
infrastructure)

18. Putting a price on carbon – emissions
trading
25
-9%
-16%
20
+1%
-9%
Mtonnes, CO2eq
15
10
5
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
30% drop in emissions from the Emissions Trading Sector between 2005 and 2011

19. 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
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

20. Incentives- CO2 emissions of new cars
180
167.7 167.2 166.7 167.9
170 166.1 166.1
164.0
161.7
158.2
160
150
144.0
CO2 g/km
140
Change in VRT and Motor Tax 132.8
for new cars 128.0
130 125.8
120
110
100
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Source : SEAI (2012).

21. 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

22. Resources Efficiency programme for hotels, catering companies &
restaurants
Resources use mapping (waste, water, & energy)
Certification & Award scheme, 270 members
o 140 of which are hotels
o Representing >16% of Irish Hotels
In 2011:
o 6,400t waste reduction (equivalent to >6,000 households)
o 352 million litres water saved
o 39M kWh energy saved
In 2011 €5.6M saved by members (recurring saving too!)

23. Partnership Resource Efficiency programme with Health Services
Executive
Resources use mapping (waste, water, & energy)
Concentration on Food Waste
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

24. 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 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