An international assessment of Ireland’s performance in responding to climate change backs the case for a moratorium on data centres because of their carbon footprint as escalating power demand from these facilities could reach 30 per cent of the country’s electricity by 2030.
The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) says the Government should immediately reinstate “the moratorium it agreed to in a legally-robust manner and permanently ban any type of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Ireland”. This follows a High Court ruling that Shannon LNG’s planning application for a large terminal in Kerry must be reconsidered.
Ireland has reached its highest ever ranking in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), achieving a “medium” ranking due to progress on renewable energy, energy use and climate policy but is criticised for very high levels of per capita emissions.
The annual assessment, however, is the first time Ireland is not classified as a “low” performing country, by virtue of vaulting 14 places in rankings from last year – from 43rd to 29th. Ireland gets an overall “medium” ranking due to its rating in renewable energy, energy use and climate policy, but policy implementation “remains problematic”, it finds.
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The 2025 rankings, compiled in consultation with a wide range experts in each country, were released on Wednesday at Cop29 in Baku. The index analyses and compares climate actions and policies across 63 countries, including the EU as a whole, which account for 90 per cent of global emissions.
Compiled by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network, it is regarded as the most reliable indicator of countries’ response to the climate crisis, and has been published yearly since 2005. It has also played a leading role in setting out progress implementing the Paris Agreement.
[ The Irish Times view on the Cop29 summit: failure is not an optionOpens in new window ]
The CCPI’s national experts say, despite the legal requirements of legally-binding five-year carbon budgets with sectoral emission ceilings Ireland’s decarbonisation targets are likely to be missed.
While EPA projections show a “considerable emissions decline” in 2023 (by 6.8 per cent), bringing Ireland closer to achieving its first carbon budget, “the lack of substantial progress makes it unlikely Ireland will meet its second carbon budget in 2026–2030″.
It highlights divisions that emerged in the Coalition government ahead of the General Election and “a clear unwillingness to take effective action for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at this stage in the electoral cycle”.
“We are leaving our climate laggard tag behind at last and we’re now considered to be a medium performing country for climate action, alongside many of our European partners,” said Minister for Climate Eamon Ryan at Cop29.
“Our transition to renewables is well under way, but ... we must continue to wean ourselves off our reliance on fossil fuels. We need to go further and faster,” he added.
On divisions between Coalition parties, he said. “This is true. We saw the pushback from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on the plan to reduce traffic congestion and harmful emissions in our transport sector, for example. This is a clear warning signal, that when the going gets tough, the so-called tough just cave. Political science trumps climate science with huge consequences for Irish people. Only the Greens are really committed to delivering on climate regardless.”
On power generation, the CCPI welcomes solar capacity almost doubling in one year because of the country’s surge in utility-scale solar projects and a rise in small and domestic rooftop solar. It points to risks, however, with continuing dependence on fossil fuels.
The experts say “there is an urgent need for port infrastructure and grid strengthening to ensure medium-to-long-term offshore wind expansion and heating and transport electrification”.
Coupled with low levels of battery storage (to provide backup electricity) and ongoing gas connections, “the state is set to remain greatly dependent on fossil fuel generation”.
“A lack of skilled workforce also is hampering progress in many areas related to climate action, including offshore wind development,” they add.
[ Cop29: Spectre of failure overhangs Baku as talks near collapseOpens in new window ]
Retrofits of houses are expanding rapidly, though not on the scale required, especially for those affected by fuel poverty.
The assessment notes data centres account for over 20 per cent of electricity demand and could rise to 30 per cent by 2030, “with their increasing demand outstripping development of new renewables and threatening [Ireland’s] carbon footprint”. It calls for a moratorium and revision of relevant Government agencies’ legal mandates in line with climate change commitments.
Ireland is a strong performer in climate finance provided to developing countries, especially in loss and damage to compensate for global warming impacts, it says. At Cop28, the country pledged over $27 million to the new Loss and Damage Fund and played an active role in negotiations on the transitional committee to bring it into operation. “Although the overall amount of climate finance is still too low, the quality of the aid is considered to be excellent, as it is based on grants rather than loans.”
The experts say Ireland should support development of a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.
As in previous years, the experts call for Ireland to enforce national mitigation policies to limit total carbon combustion in the energy sector; cut total nitrogen use in the agricultural sector and curb deforestation in line with legally-binding carbon budgets by 2030.
The index shows renewable energy is making rapid progress in almost every high-emitting country. “However, too many countries are still clinging to prolonging the fossil fuels business model, especially for gas.”
While 61 of the 64 countries have increased the share of renewables in their energy mix over the past five years, emission trends in 29 countries are still rated low or very low. The top three places remain vacant as in previous years as countries still need to accelerate climate action to align with the temperature limit of the Paris Agreement.
Denmark remains the top-ranked country. The UK was this year’s big climber and took 6th place. Its phase-out of coal and the government’s pledge against new licences for fossil fuel projects played a key role in its rise.
The four last-placed countries are Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Russia. All four are among the largest oil and gas producers worldwide. The share of renewables in their energy mix is lower than 3 per cent and “these countries show no sign of departing from fossil fuels as a business model”.
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