Ireland had to buy “credits” to ensure it met its climate and energy targets in 2020, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA).
The ECA report published today (Monday, June 26) found that, overall, the EU had achieved its climate and energy targets.
However, the auditors said the EU Commission has not assessed the extent to which this progress was a result of policies rather than external factors, such as the financial crisis in 2009 and the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a result, they said the commission has “only a partial overview of the actions that proved successful for achieving the 2020 targets”.
The report found that the EU’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction compared well to those of other industrialised countries.
The auditors noted that the EU’s 2020 GHG emissions does not include emissions from international aviation and shipping and emissions from carbon leakage as a result of trade.
“The targets for 2030 are more ambitious than those for 2020, and we found little indication so far that this ambition will translate into sufficient action,” the report said.
Auditors
The report noted that three EU member states: Ireland, Germany and Malta did not reach their 2020 GHG target on their own.
Between 2013-2020, the countries bought a total of 17 million tonnes of GHG emissions allocations from other member states that over-achieved their targets.
Ireland also used international credits for a total of 8.2 million tonnes of emissions.
Ireland was among six member states that did not reach their renewable energy share target solely based on their own climate action.
Along with Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia, Ireland again bought shares from other member stated that over-achieved their targets.
Plans
As part of the audit, the ECA interviewed authorities from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland and
Sweden.
Member states were required to submit National Energy and Climate Plans for the 2021-2030 period. In these plans, they outlined policies aimed at achieving these targets.
The auditors found that the Ireland had “no data on the cost and effects of its policies put in place to reach the 2020 targets”.
They said that Ireland’s national energy and climate plan does not assess the overall investment needs, which could be fulfilled by funding from the public or private sector.
The plan stresses the need to mobilise private investment, but no indication is provided on the scale of the investment needed.
“It is clear that EU funding such as the Connecting Europe Facility will remain an important source of funding for Ireland.
“Some details are provided on specific programmes, funds or projects and their budgets, but this is done in a rather ad hoc manner and it does not cover all policies, measures or ambitions,” the report said.
Funding
The EU committed to spending at least one fifth of its 2014-2020 EU budget on climate action.
For the 2021-2027 EU budget, this figure has increased to 30% or around €87 billion per year.
The auditors said this amount is less than 10% of the total investment needed to reach the EU’s 2030 targets, estimated to be around €1 trillion/year.
The ECA recommended that the EU Commission provide more transparency on the performance of the EU and its member states on climate and energy action.
It said the commission should account for all GHG emissions caused by the EU, including those from shipping and aviation.
Finally, the auditors called on the commission to support member states’ commitment to achieving 2030 targets.