EPA | Business Post

Climate & Environment

Ryan: ‘Stockpiling’ may be behind lack of improvement in air quality since fuel ban

The ban on high-polluting fuels came into effect last October, but monitoring stations showed similar results to previous year while in some cases, air quality was worse

Morning Headlines

New wind farm to create 50,000 jobs in Clare; EPA to move faster as data centres seek diesel licences

The stories you need to read this morning in business, politics and current affairs

EPA aims to speed up decision-making on data centres’ requests for fossil fuel licences

Agency is seeking to halve the amount of time it takes to process applications for industrial emissions licences amid concern large data centres will have to come off the grid and use their own generators

Microsoft plans private power plant on €900m data centre site

Concerns about constraints on Ireland’s energy grid prompt action by tech giant, with facility likely to add at least €100m to cost of Dublin project

Climate & Environment

Government to publish environment policy position next year

Laura Burke, director general of the EPA, said a national policy position on the environment should be a “no brainer” but still hadn’t been devised

Climate & Environment

CCAC warns urgent action needed on firms’ carbon emissions

EPA research shows we are on track to cut emissions by only 12.8 per cent by 2030 instead of government’s target of 35 per cent

Five Degrees of Change

‘What’s happening with targets is less greenwashing and more time washing – Laura Burke, EPA

The environmental protection agency’s director general says the gap between aspiration and action and the polarisation of debate on the environment are major challenges that need to be addressed for a greener future

Irish Water taking 20 years longer than expected to replace dangerous lead pipes - EPA

However, the regulator said water in the public system is safe

Climate & Environment

Ireland’s carbon emissions increased almost 5% last year, new EPA figures show

A surge in the use of coal and oil for electricity generation, coupled with a continued increase in agricultural emissions contributed to the country’s overall carbon emissions levels increase above 61.5 million tons of C02 equivalent

Climate & Environment

Ireland way off target on climate change goals and existing policies are not enough, EPA warns

The state’s environmental watchdog predicts that emissions will only fall by 27.9% by 2030 based on 2018 levels, far short of the 51% reduction required by law under the new Climate Action Bill

Absence of EPA from food security committee criticised

‘Pretty serious’ not to have agency contribute to discussion on mandatory crop growing, climate researcher says

Emissions are unlikely to fall this year, EPA head warns

Comments cast doubt on the country’s ability to meet its climate action targets

ESB applied for licences just before shelving plans for gas plants

Semi-state denies market abuse after suspicions sparked by low price paid for contracts in 2019 auction

Stryker Ireland paid €400m to European parent despite sales drop

The medical device manufacturer says its sales fell because of a reduction in the number of elective surgeries due to Covid-19

Ireland’s waste processing capacity on a ‘knife-edge’

Summer floods have disrupted exports of excess to Europe as the reopening economy generates more waste

Climate Action Bill to be signed into law after Ryan agrees to carbon offset amendments

Legislation will be fast tracked to allow sectoral carbon budgets to be set by the end of the summer

Ireland must aim higher on climate change targets, EPA warns

‘For a country that promotes itself as being so clean and green, we really are not living up to that standard,’ according to the EPA director