Just before the Christmas break the Irish government published its latest Climate Action Plan (CAP23).
The plan, which replaces and updates the previous Climate Action Plan 2021 (CAP21), is an ambitious and wide-ranging strategy laid out over 284 pages and encompassing key areas such as Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Construction and Transport.
If you don’t have time to read it, I suggest you start with the handy five-page summary document which is a helpful overview depending on your area of interest. An infographic from the summary document showing key measures by sector is shown at the end of this article.
This piece focuses on key points of interest in relation to public sector Transport, Mobility and Parking, and what CAP23 is likely to mean for stakeholders across that sector.
Overall Aims of CAP23
The Plan makes much mention of the urgent need to improve and accelerate progress. Everywhere in the document we are reminded of this, with expressions of the need to “move at scale and speed”, “ramp up our ambition”, or “implement our plans urgently”.
The two top-level targets on which CAP23 is based are (a) the halving of Ireland’s carbon emissions by 2030 (relative to 2018) and (b) achieving net-zero by 2050, in line with the aims of the European Green Deal.
The Plan highlights from the outset that the five “most important decarbonisation measures” for Ireland over the next ten years will be:
- Power generation through Renewable Energy;
- Retrofitting of Residential and Commercial Buildings;
- Modal Shift in Transport and Fleet Electrification;
- Changes of Land Use
- Efficiency Improvements in Agriculture
Targeted emissions reductions by sector have already been agreed following stakeholder consultations and these Sectoral Emissions Ceilings were published by Government in July 2022.
For Transport, an ambitious target of 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 has been set. This will be delivered through a broad range of measures, however it’s notable that many of the actions are not as yet determined. CAP23 includes a list of “potential interventions” which are not yet agreed but presumably already under consideration.
CAP23 also introduces a number of new governance concepts such as the establishment of a Climate Action Delivery Board to oversee implementation of the Plan.
What CAP23 means for the Public Sector
As well as focusing on decarbonisation measures across key sectors, the Plan also highlights the need for the Public Sector to contribute to the effort, with a 51% reduction in its own emissions targeted for delivery by 2030. Chapter 10 of the Plan is dedicated to the “Public Sector Leading by Example“.
In addition to the upskilling of public sector leaders on “climate literacy” and implementing Green Public Procurement, Local Authorities will be required to create their own five-year Climate Action Plans.
Guidelines on creating these individual Climate Action Plans are to be published and issued to Local Authorities in the coming months. Each authority is expected to begin the work of developing its own five-year Climate Action Plan from March 2023, with publication of plans expected by April 2024.
Finally, the plan highlights that four Climate Action Regional Offices will have responsibility for coordinating efforts across the Local Government sector.
What CAP23 means for Transport, Mobility and Parking
It’s clear that achieving the required decarbonisation targets for Transport (a massive 50% reduction in emissions by 2030) will require nothing less than fundamental changes in our society’s day-to-day travel habits.
The Plan’s Executive Summary underlines this point, telling us that for Transport there is a need for “transformational change and accelerated action”.
While Transport represents only 15.7% of Ireland’s overall emissions, it’s the fastest-growing sector, with emissions more than doubling (+112%) between 1990 and 2021. CAP23 dedicates over thirty pages to Transport, and the sector has by far the most substantial list of actions when compared to other chapters such as those dedicated to Agriculture or Renewables.
The key ambitions set out for the Transport sector in CAP23 include:
- a 20% reduction in total annual vehicle kilometres by 2030;
- a “very significant modal shift” away from the private car to Public Transport and Active Travel;
- reducing vehicle emissions through ambitious electric vehicle targets and expanded use of biofuels.
The actions set out for Transport in CAP23 are broadly based on an approach referred to as “Avoid-Shift-Improve”:
“reducing or avoiding the need for travel; shifting to public transport, walking and cycling; and improving the energy efficiency of vehicles”
Specific Actions and Goals for Transport
The specific measures and goals mentioned in CAP23 for the Transport sector include the following:
- Reallocation of road space towards Public Transport, Active Travel and other shared mobility modes;
- Development of a “National Demand Strategy” in 2023 to discourage private car use;
- Significant expansion of zero emissions vehicles, with ambitious targets for private cars, light commercial vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and road-based public transport vehicles;
- Large-scale improvements in the availability and attractiveness of sustainable alternative transport modes;
- Increases in biofuel blends;
- By 2030: a 50% increase in Active Travel daily journeys; a 130% increase in Public Transport daily journeys; a 25% reduction in daily journeys by private car.
Potential Actions for Transport
However, as well as setting out specific agreed targets and actions, the document includes a long list of other “potential interventions” which will be considered. We should have no doubt that, while these points do not represent agreed policy, all will receive serious consideration in the short- to medium-term:
- Further increases in fossil fuel prices (based on the “polluter pays” principle);
- Car-free urban centres;
- Increased parking constraints, including “reduction of on-street car parking spaces”;
- Removal of free workplace parking (with the Public Sector expected to lead the way on this);
- Minimum parking charges introduced in all urban areas, with Local Authorities transitioning towards “market pricing” of parking;
- Zero car parking requirement for new planning developments in or near the centres of the five largest cities;
- Introduction of congestion charging in cities, and other road user charging;
- Speed limit reductions on the national road network.
What’s next?
CAP23 highlights that Transport-related measures will “feature strongly” in the guidelines that will be issued to Local Authorities for creation of their individual Climate Action Plans. Work is set to begin on those plans from March 2023.
We can also expect that 2023 will see further acceleration of measures to reduce private car usage, with further progress on the existing Sustainable Mobility Policy, and publication of a new National Demand Strategy, aimed at discouraging private vehicle use and reducing overall kilometres through short-term measures.
For private and public sector stakeholders involved in Transport, Mobility and Parking these will represent either exciting or challenging developments, depending on your perspective. There’s no doubt that the main themes of 2023 and onwards will be change, uncertainty and the need for agility.
If you’d like to learn more about the potential impacts on your organisation and discuss how to work through this change and uncertainty, we’ll be happy to give you a more in-depth overview in person. Feel free to contact us to discuss further.
“The Six Vital High Impact Sectors” from Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2023:
