Ireland

Ireland set the legally binding target of achieving net zero emissions no later than 2050 through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 also referred to as the ‘Climate Law’. To achieve this target, emissions will have to be balanced or exceeded by the removal of GHGs. 

This target is further set out in the Long-term Strategy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions, which outlines indicative pathways, post-2030, towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The Strategy also calls for the creation of a negative emissions strategy. The climate-neutral pathway envisages that further measures will be required to offset residual emissions with negative emissions, particularly for the agricultural sector, for which it states it will be impossible to completely eliminate all emissions. However, it is noted that this sector, along with forestry, has a unique capacity to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. 

As Ireland’s LULUCF sector is a net source of emissions, Ireland seeks to increase removals in this sector through initiatives such as afforestation, promotion of forest management initiatives, improved management of grasslands on mineral soils and peatland restoration.  

Forestry in Ireland is now reported as a source of emissions, rather than a sink, primarily due to the revision of the emission factor to a higher value for forestry on peaty or organic soils which drives higher rates of carbon loss. The state-owned commercial forestry business outlines in its Coillte’s Strategic Vision that it will capture additional carbon dioxide in its forests, soils and wood products by 2050.  

All of these conventional CDR methods are intended to contribute to the annual negative emissions budget that will be required by 2050. While the targets set out the plan for net removals by 2050, measures outlined to grow carbon sinks are targeted at reducing the amount of net emissions increases in the LULUCF sector, rather than aiming for removals.  

Ireland is also exploring blue carbon strategies. Blue carbon refers to the carbon captured by the oceans and coastal ecosystems, primarily vegetated coastal systems like tidal wetlands, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests, where applicable.  

Ireland’s National Hydrogen Strategy mentions the production of hydrogen using BECCS. Engineered removals are not mentioned in Ireland’s climate policy, although the need for a national CCS strategy has been mentioned in the last two climate action plans.  Feasibility studies outlined as part of the Climate Action Plan 2019 have been undertaken to assess the national potential for CCS, including BECCS.