THE CLIMATE CHANGE Advisory Council has said that the reliance on expensive, imported fossil fuels “needs to end” so that people can afford to heat their homes sustainably.

The CCAC made the call in a new report which  found that emissions from buildings fell by 6% in 2023, said to be partly due to the high price of fossil fuels. 

The review, which was released today, found that emissions from residential buildings fell by 7.1% in 2023. 

The CCAC called upon the government to maker it “cheaper and easier” to install heat pumps in homes and workplaces, saying that the reliance on imported fossil fuels cannot go on. 

It recommended within the review that the government incentivise and encourage many more homeowners, particularly those with homes built after 2007 or which are already suitable for a heat pump system, to replace existing oil and gas boilers with heat pumps and district heating systems.

The CCAC welcomed the increase in capacity and delivery of the National Retrofit Plan in 2023, but said that it wants to see the ambition and rate of upgrades to social homes doubled. 

It also called for the publication of the National Heat Policy Statement and enaction of the Heat Bill.

Launching the Annual Review of the Built Environment sector, CCAC chair Marie Donnelly emphasised the need to phase out fossil fuels from homes and workplaces. 

“Building on the success and the positive impact of retrofitting incentives with almost 48,000 households benefitting in 2023, government must do more to help everyone make sustainable choices in heating and insulating their homes,” she said. 

Donnelly added that many of the worst performing homes are likely to be owned by older people and householders who are least likely to be able to afford the work required.

“More must be done to support them and ensure that they are provided with necessary help to retrofit their houses and lower their heating costs,” she said.

Member of the CCAC, Jillian Mahon, added that the finalisation of the National Planning Framework before the end of the year will be “critical” to help support urban regeneration in communities nationally.

The group also recommended the government increase the resilience of the built environment to the future impacts of climate change such as flooding, extreme rainfall, droughts and intense storms, by developing Sectoral Adaptation Plans. 

Last month, the CCAC warned Ireland was on track to miss its 2025 targets as its transport emissions rose last year and demand for petrol jumped by over 7%.

Findings

The review found that the emission reductions recorded in 2023 were due to high fuel prices, a relatively mild winter ad the introduction of nationwide solid fuel regulations, as well as fuel switching and energy efficiency improvements. 

It said that a significant roll-out of decarbonised heating systems, particularly heat pumps and district heating, will be required to sustain these reductions.

“Despite limited progress in some key areas in 2023, the residential sector is on track
to meet its first sectoral emissions ceiling,” the review said. “Commercial and public sector buildings will require a reduction in emissions of 2.9% per annum to remain within the sectoral ceiling. The trajectory for the second sectoral ceiling is dependent on the large-scale roll-out of district heating and biomethane.”