Government accused of “quiet quitting” on climate action as new report shows pace slowing

Green Party Leader Roderic O’Gorman has accused the government of “quietly quitting” on climate action regarding the latest Environmental Protection Agency report.

Despite emissions having declined for the fourth consecutive year, and emissions from residential buildings falling to their lowest level in over three decades last year – the EPA warns that the reduction pace is still too slow.

If Ireland wants to achieve those targets, the annual emissions need to fall four-and-a-half times faster than they did last year, which is a difficult goal to achieve in the remaining four years.

EPA Director General Eimear Cotter, is calling on the Government to speed up climate action. 

“With just four years to 2030, Ireland needs to accelerate delivery and achieve much deeper annual reductions to meet our climate targets”, she said.  

Cotter has also addressed the general public to reassess their individual choices, such as looking at a more efficient vehicle, considering taking more public transport, or reducing food waste.​

O’Gorman called out the Government's inefficiency. “What we need now is leadership. And yet, the Government hasn’t even managed to publish the Climate Action Plan for 2026, halfway through the year.”

He also highlighted that “larger emissions are achievable”, and pointed out to Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for their inaction and for failing to promote infrastructure reform and climate action. “This Government pitches climate action as something that is working to slow down the improvement of State infrastructure. That is disingenuous.”

The Government has promised to address the situation and has guaranteed to take climate measures such as more electric vehicles, fewer cattle, or more renewable energy.

It has already been proven that even ​if global greenhouse emissions completely stopped right now, their impact would still have a long-term effects. ​

Urgent action is required to meet legally binding climate targets,