The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action has published a report with 47 recommendations to tackle Ireland’s record as having the fourth highest level of transport emissions per person in Europe.
The ‘Reducing Emissions in the Transport Sector by 51pc by 2030’ report is the first of a series of sector analyses on how Ireland will meet this challenging emissions reduction target over the next decade – and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Climate Action Bill 2020 currently going through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Among the measures proposed, the committee has called for a review of all planned road construction projects, that the introduction of road charging and mileage reduction targets be considered, that the transition to electric vehicles and electrification of commuter rail lines be accelerated, and an expansion of public transport measures for rural and dispersed communities be conducted “immediately”.
Committee chairman and Green Party politician deputy Brian Leddin said: “Ireland has the fourth highest level of transport emissions per capita in Europe and the transport sector is responsible for around 20pc of our overall CO₂ emissions, with private cars being the largest contributors to transport emissions.
"Taking into account projected population growth and, in turn, economic growth in the coming decades, Ireland will face a significant challenge in de-carbonisation of the transport sector.”
He outlined that the key theme to emerge from committee meetings and written submissions from stakeholders was that “the avoid-shift-improve approach” to reducing emissions is the internationally recognised standard “that should be implemented” in order to achieve our targets by 2050.
"This approach sets the emphasis on more radical and long-term policy changes: avoid – reduce the need for travel; shift – move travel to more environmentally-friendly / sustainable modes; and improve – improve efficiency of transport modes to reduce emissions.
“Our report seeks to embed the ‘avoid-shift-improve’ approach into our transport and mobility infrastructure planning.
"Reducing transport demand must be the first and key priority, followed by shifting carbon-intensive journeys to zero carbon modes such as walking and cycling, and by providing sustainable public transport in both rural and urban areas.
“This report challenges the conventional ‘predict and provide’ approach and legacy of poor planning that has induced traffic and car dependency, driven road construction and high greenhouse gas emissions, with their resulting adverse consequences for our economy, our health, our society and our environment.”
The committee report makes a total of 47 conclusions and recommendations across five areas – planning, public transport and active modes, electrification, freight transport and future challenges.
The main recommendations include: a review of future road construction projects; that further exploration be given to the establishment of remote working hubs in towns and villages; that a national target for remote working be introduced; and that a policy away from the use of private car and towards “sustainable transport modes” be introduced for urban areas.
The committee report also suggests that, in light of the evidence from rural public transport projects such as the ‘Every Village, Every Hour’ project in Germany, there “should be a significant increase” in targeted investment in an immediate expansion of public transport measures for rural and dispersed communities in Ireland, to “provide a realistic alternative to travelling by car”.
Plus, it recommends the examination of “road user charges” – including potential targets for car mileage reductions to reduce transport emissions; and the reallocation of revenue from such charges to more sustainable alternatives.
The report continues: “Cycling superhighways, such as those in Denmark and London, should be developed as an alternative travel option for those living outside larger cities. Family-friendly cycling infrastructure should also be introduced;
“A free public transport system should be costed as an option for encouraging the uptake of public transport in Ireland.
"The Minister for Transport should consider the benefits and feasibility of the provision of free public transport, based on the experiences in Europe and elsewhere, and roll out initiatives in this respect as soon as possible;
“To achieve a transition to fully electric, zero-emission electric vehicles (EVs), efforts should be made to fully and quickly equalise the purchase cost of new zero emission EVs with fossil fuel vehicles. Incentives and supports for EV take-up should be reviewed and targeted.
“And consideration should be given to the further electrification of all public transport including commuter rail lines as part of the Dart plus programme.”
To address road freight emisions, the report states that “a central digitalised system” for freight logistics in Ireland should be developed which would allow all carriers to work towards ensuring fully loaded journeys, back-loading, as well as re-routing and rescheduling to avoid congestion.
And, it says, measures to encourage the use of national and toll roads by freight rather than smaller roads should be considered, “which may include flat annual fees for toll roads”.
“This report points the way towards how we achieve the necessary reduction in transport emissions through a fundamental change in how we plan and manage a quality and sustainable transport system in Ireland,” deputy Leddin concluded.
