Latest: Citizen's Assembly hears Ireland failing to reach targets on tackling climate change
Today's meeting of the Citizen's Assembly has heard Ireland is failing to reach its targets on tackling climate change.
The 8th session of the Assembly at Malahide Castle in Dublin heard from a panel of experts, and is due to recommend policy changes the government can implement.
Ireland is set to miss the target of reducing carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.
Addressing the Assembly, Laura Burke from the Environmental Protection Agency says there are no quick fixes:
"I think because actions and policies take time, you do need a combination of the longterm and the shorterm and certainly what we've been focusing on is trying to look at both but I'd have to say looking to 2050 and saying this is the ultimate vision now here are the steps in how we get there would be somehting that we'd be promoting," she said.
The Citizens Assembly is to advise the Government on what policy changes should be made to tackle climate change.
Ireland is due to miss its target to reduce carbon emissions by 20% by 2020.
The 99-member Assembly will hear today from national and international experts on the devastating impacts of climate change, and on how the State can make Ireland a leader on the issue.
There will also be a specific session on the action needed in the energy sector.
The Assembly will also consider the 1,200 submissions it received. After a second weekend of debate, members will vote on recommendations to the Government on November 5.
Jerry MacEvilly from the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition said the Assembly's work "could kick-start much-improved policy making in the area of climate change…including investing more in clean public transport and in cycling and walking facilities".
He said the continued burning of peat and coal for electricity generation was one of the things keeping our greenhouse gases high, and the coalition would like to see a clear date for ending the burning as soon as possible.
