Letters

EPA climate report – the bigger picture

How do we compare with other European countries, and indeed on a global basis?

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.
Fri May 31 2024 - 00:04

Sir, – The latest EPA report on Ireland’s path to net zero (and your reporting on it) would be greatly enhanced if international comparisons could be included (“Irish winters could drop to minus 15 degrees in ‘runaway climate change’ scenario, reports find”, News, May 28th).

We are far from our targets but how do we compare with other European countries, and indeed on a global basis? Without this information it is impossible to determine likely consequences for our climate and how Ireland should respond from a policy perspective. Should we redouble our efforts to try to hit our targets – or do international comparisons suggest the targets were far too ambitious and simply can’t or won’t be met? Should the investment priority increasingly switch to protecting against the impact of climate change rather than carbon reduction if there is no realistic prospect to avoid significant climate change? We do not live on “Planet Ireland”. – Yours, etc,

RORY WHEATLEY,

Bray,

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Co Wicklow.