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🗞️ Driving the news: Ireland is projected to miss its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets significantly, achieving only a 29% reduction compared to the legally-binding target of 51%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

🔭 The context: The EPA's annual data for the EU shows that Ireland is on a path of continuously missing its emissions targets
• The first two legally-binding carbon budgets for 2021-2025 and 2026-2030 will not be met, with shortfalls between 17% and 27%

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Failure to meet these targets poses a significant challenge to climate action and could lead to increased economic and environmental costs, including higher compliance costs and EU fines, hindering efforts to combat climate change

⏭️ What's next: Ireland will need to apply more stringent limits and accelerate the implementation of renewable energy technologies and emission reduction measures across all sectors to meet future targets

💬 One quote: “The key priority must be to translate the aspiration in our policies and plans to implementation on the ground,” stated Laura Burke, EPA Director General

📈 One stat: Estimated compliance costs due to missing EU targets range between €3 billion and €8 billion

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