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The Environment Minister has said the public must realize that changes will have to be made to their lives in order for Ireland to tackle climate change.<\/p>\nThe Environment Minister has said the public must realize that changes will have to be made to their lives in order for Ireland to tackle climate change.<\/p>\n
The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Richard Bruton, held a consultation on Friday on the development of an all of government plan to make Ireland \u201ca leader\u201d in responding to the environmental threat.<\/p>\n
Representatives from industry, agriculture, NGOs, government departments, academia, as well as unions and employer bodies gathered in Croke Park to consider how best to address a number of matters across a range of sectors and the policy tools available.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to step up our response to climate disruption.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe window for opportunity is closing. The decisions we take now will define the next century,\u201d Minister Bruton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe future for Ireland is seizing opportunities in a de-carbonized world.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to say honestly this will only happen if every home, every enterprise, every farm, every community recognizes there is a change in their lifestyle that has to be the driver for a real practical outcome on this.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a fundamental structure change, and if we want to be prosperous in 20 years time, we have to do this, but we can\u2019t all be funded by government, every sector has to take responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn new buildings there will be new energy requirements, regulatory changes and standards.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn every sector, the building energy rating is going to be more central to transactions, so there will be new standards and time to achieve those.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to see a number of nudges coming along and grants and tax can be a source of those nudges and shift how people think about these issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt we\u2019re 90% off the target we\u2019ve set ourselves for 2020, and it\u2019s self-evident we haven\u2019t taken this issue as seriously as we should have.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt hasn\u2019t been integrated into policy, and that\u2019s not pointing a finger at somebody, it\u2019s a statement of truth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s very clear is people want a long-term framework and every sector is engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n