Carol Nolan criticises binding carbon budgets and net zero
Carol Nolan criticised binding carbon budgets and the drive to a zero carbon society, arguing they are legally binding, inflexible and punitive. She cited Professor Michael Kelly's cost estimates for electrification and retrofitting and urged repeal of net zero legislation in favour of more realistic, pragmatic targets.
Main objections to carbon budgets
She told the minister that carbon budgets, as currently conceived, are legally binding, inflexible and punitive. She said the concept of a zero carbon society by 2050 is a "fairy tale" that will punish people, divide society and whip up unnecessary fear and anxiety.
Costs cited from Professor Michael Kelly
She referenced Professor Michael Kelly of Cambridge University and his lecture to the climate science forum, repeating his cost estimates for Ireland's transition. She said transmission expansion alone was estimated at 15-20 billion, electrification costs could reach about 123 billion, and retrofitting buildings could cost about 255 billion. She reported Kelly's view that net zero is unattainable without a major national commitment, a command economy and lower living standards, and that net zero legislation should be repealed and replaced with more pragmatic targets.
Impact on households and schemes
She warned of practical impacts on households, noting people can wait 24 months for retrofitting schemes and asking whether the government expects people to freeze in their homes while they wait. She flagged an RT report that the ESB will increase the price of electric chargers, and raised concerns that farmers are being punished by micro-generation schemes they cannot access because they cannot get onto the grid after investing heavily.
Political tone and demands
She accused the government of arrogance and elitism for following a single agenda and "punishing people who want to play their part." She called the situation disgraceful and demanded the minister and government stop pursuing policies that, in her view, punish ordinary people while pretending to "save the planet."
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I firmly believe that there are major problems with the idea and the delivery of carbon budgets if they were merely indicative targets then that might be one thing but the fact is that these budgets are legally binding inflexible and punitive the whole concept behind them is to support our movement towards the so-called zero carbon society in 2050 and that's a fairy tale which will punish people in in the process the minister will be aware that professor Michael Kelly of Cambridge University recently delivered an eye-opening lecture to the climate science forum on the costs of Ireland's transition to zero carbon society and it would do government good to listen to that and listen carefully instead of following blindly one particular agenda which is hysterical and whipping up a lot of fear and anxiety in people unnecessarily who want to play their part but instead of that you're punishing them you're dividing society you're punishing the people who cannot afford and how dare you dictate to people on how dare to heat their homes how dare you when people are expected to wait 24 months on a waiting list for a retrofitting scheme are you suggesting that people freeze in their homes until they get their grant through or if it is out of their reach what happens then if they cannot afford it it's absolutely outrageous but as I say professor Michael Kelly it would do you good to listen to what he has to say because he says that the cost of expansion the electricity sector in terms of transmission alone was estimated to be an incredible 15 to 20 billion indeed the final bill according to professor Kelly will be in the region of 123 billion for the electrification element of decarbonisation and an astonishing 255 billion for the retrofitting of buildings professor Kelly's view is that we do not need both zero carbon electricity and zero emission homes he says that net zero is an unattainable pipe dream and I agree without a major national commitment a command economy and lower standards of living he also says that we ought to repeal net zero legislation and replace it with more realistic targets and pragmatic targets I support this call because you're punishing people and you don't want to listen to any other view you're arrogant you're elitist of view and you're also punishing people who want to play their part because it's been announced that the ESB are going to increase the price of the electric chargers that was released today in an RT report so you're punishing people who are trying to play their part including the farmers with the micro generation schemes that you have not honoured they can't get onto the grid they've invested heavily what you're doing is disgraceful and it needs to stop and stop now you need to wake up instead of going around like super heroes in capes trying to save the planet and punish Irish people
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