Zero carbon emissions by 2050 is one of the main targets in the Government’s new Climate Action Plan.
The cross departmental plan is set to be revealed by Minister for the Environment Richard Bruton.
Carbon Tax will be quadrupled under the plan, something one Clare Government TD supports, saying we’ve grappled with the issue for far too long.
The Government’s new Climate Action Plan will affect almost every aspect of life.
It’s expected that the carbon tax will quadruple between now and 2030.
The government is to examine banning petrol and diesel cars from some urban areas, as well as increasing the price of those fuels.
While the selling of petrol and diesel cars will be phased out by 2030.
People won’t be allowed to put oil or gas boilers into new build homes within 6 years.
Electricity will be more expensive for businesses and there will be new charges on single use plastics.
Director of the Friends of the Earth Ireland OisÃn Coughlan says a plan like this is well overdue.
Former Environment Minister, Denis Naughten is sceptical about the introduction of carbon taxes though.
He believes that copy and pasting the carbon tax template from other countries could have a negative impact here.
There will also be loans for home retrofitting that can be paid back through property tax or electricity bills and there will be a big increase in charging points for electric cars.
Car sharing schemes, more park and ride and cheaper parking for lower emission cars are also being looked at.
Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey supports the hike in taxes, saying climate action is an issue we’ve grappled with for far too long.
But he says for the Government’s plan to be successful, it needs buy-in from the people.
