The chief climate scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency has said the Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report published yesterday is very strong and clear on messaging that the world is on the wrong pathway in limiting warming to 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Frank McGovern said from Ireland’s perspective it means that it is experiencing climate impacts such as increases in extreme events, increased storminess, increased rainfall and heatwaves.
"They will increase further, they will become more intense and on the bigger picture, the long-term issues of sea level rise, changing of biodiversity species, they will continue," Dr McGovern said.
He said as part of the European Union, Ireland’s National Determined Contribution is linked to the EU NDC.
The EU has its 'Fit for 55’ targets of 2030 and has articulated a net-zero 2050 target, he said.
"Ireland has its own legislation and has also articulated major emissions reductions by 2030," he said.
Dr McGovern added that Ireland and the EU are on the right direction in terms of emissions as they "are going down".
"That's not the case on the global level, so there's still greenhouse gas emissions going up," he said.
"So, we have to work with our global partners to ensure that everybody acts to reduce emissions, and certainly we must do more, and we must try to achieve net-zero CO2 before 2050."
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In relation to Ireland revising its current targets, Dr McGovern said: "We always have to keep looking at our targets and plans, especially when there's new science provided."
He said that this is a global report and will be considered by all governments at the next COP meeting in Dubai in December.
Dr McGovern said: "So, we'll all be there taking part in the global stock take, which is how we actually assess how countries are doing.
"Are they matching what science has said is required? So that will be the key process and Ireland will be at that meeting along with the other EU countries and looking at what is happening there and contributing there.
"Absolutely everybody has to take a certain amount of responsibility and it's for individuals, for communities, it's at a national level.
"So, absolutely everybody and all countries have to ensure that one, we are taking this climate change threat seriously; two, we're examining what we can do as individuals, what we can do as communities and what we can do as a country.
"Ireland has through its legislation adopted very ambitious targets for 2030 and also on to 2050.
"So again, I think it would be timely to look at those talks to see what more we can do."
