Minister Naughten promises big for sustainable economy

Published by David Hayden on November 17, 2016November 17, 2016

Image: Minister for Environment Denis Naughten formally ratifies the Paris Agreement in New York on Friday November 4^th. Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, Miguel de Serpa Soares and Santiago Villalpando, Chief of the Treaty Section of the UN Office of Legal Affairs.

November 17, 2016

A new page was turned in Ireland’s commitment to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement.

The formal ratification of the agreement took place on November 4th, and yesterday Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten addressed the UN Climate Change Conference (COP22) expressing a clear commitment to climate action.

Minister Naughten celebrated a milestone, the first piece of Irish legislation dealing with climate change. The “Climate Action and and Low Carbon Development Act” 2015 which describes its missions as: “pursuing the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy”.

In his speech the minister highlighted his intention to foster dialogue on climate issues in the ‘National Climate Dialogue’ which, he stated, will be formally launched in early 2017.

The minister, whose department is responsible for both Energy and Climate Action expressed clear commitments to improving both air quality and to renewable energy initiatives. Minister Nuaghten is setting the tone for the recently remodeled department that is set to address climate and environmental issues in a more direct and systematic manner.

One of the measures discussed to reduced Irelands’s dependence on fossil fuel burning for electricity was to use indigenous sustainable biomass. You can read about sustainable biomass by clicking on the button below:

[x_button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”none” href=”https://www.seai.ie/uploadedfiles/RenewableEnergy/REIOBiomassFactsheet.pdf” title=”Sustainable Energy Ireland – Biomass Factsheet” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]Sustainable Energy Ireland – Biomass Factsheet[/x_button]

Let’s hope that the national dialogue that Minister Naughten intends to spark up will increase awareness of environmental concerns among the general public and secure support for Ireland’s longer-term compliance goals.

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