CLIMATE

Taoiseach: Government will face ‘consequences’ if climate targets not met

Climate change council says Ireland will not meet either of its carbon budgets without radical change

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar: “It is encouraging to see emissions fell last year, but it's clear they are not falling fast enough.” Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

There will be “consequences” for the government if it doesn’t reach its climate targets, the Taoiseach has said.

Leo Varadkar was responding to the Climate Change Advisory Council’s annual review, which found that Ireland will not meet either of its carbon budgets unless urgent action is taken immediately to begin reducing emissions rapidly.

The carbon budgets are two five year ceilings on how much carbon Ireland should emit between 2020-2025 and between 2025-2030, if emissions ...