CORK South West Fianna Fáil Christopher O’Sullivan has described his recent election to vice-chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action as a huge honour.
Deputy O’Sullivan, who has always been vocal and passionate about climate change and bio-diversity, said that it’s an incredibly important committee to be vice-chairing.
‘Climate change is the biggest challenge facing this planet and in Ireland we have a very important role to play. I’m certainly coming at this from a biodiversity and wildlife point of view, but the protection of these, along with afforestation are some of the important ways we can tackle climate change and I’d like to bring some of this to the role,’ said Deputy O’Sullivan.
‘We have a Climate Action Bill that has been published and there is huge sense of urgency in getting that before the Dáil and getting it passed and the committee has a big role to play in that.’
Deputy O’Sullivan said that the purpose of the Climate Action Bill 2020 is to strengthen the statutory framework for more effective governance of the State’s climate objectives.
Key elements of this new strengthened statutory framework will include a legal requirement for government to adopt a series of economy wide carbon budgets and decarbonisation target ranges by sector.
Deputy O’Sullivan said that the Bill would sign into law our target of being carbon neutral by 2050.
‘The impact of this will be huge and I think it’s easier to put your head down and work on something that you are passionate about and climate action and the protection of bio-diversity is something I’m very passionate about,’ added the deputy.
