The Climate Action Network Europe has released a report ranking EU countries in terms of ambition and progress in the fight for climate change.

In the report - Off target: Ranking of EU countries’ ambition and progress in fighting climate change - Ireland ranks second from the bottom, above Poland, and has been described as looking for loopholes in the terms and conditions of their targets.

Ireland is set to miss its 2020 targets and is not on course for the 2030 Paris Agreement targets. Some €500m in compliance costs are charged to Ireland annually. The report recognised Ireland’s potential for renewable energy, which can be further developed. However, the report also recommends putting immediate measures in place for the transport and agriculture sectors.

Recommendations

The report stated Ireland needs to join the group of progressive EU member states calling for increased action on climate change, which it says we have failed to do in the past.

Increased ambition has been called for on Ireland’s behalf. Ireland only scored 21% of the possible points in the report. The Irish Government has been described as showing stiff opposition towards climate action nationally and within the EU. Within the details of the report, Ireland scored 0% in promoting more ambitious EU targets and strategies. All use of peat for electricity needs to end by 2019, while coal use needs to stop by 2025 in the recommendations put forward.

Sweden is leading the fight in climate change out of the 28 member states. It scored 77% of the possible points. Germany and the UK came in for criticism, as they are no longer leading the way in climate action despite their relative wealth.

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