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Republic to ban sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030 in bid to tackle climate change

The Republic has published an 'ambitious but realistic' climate change action plan. Picture by John Giles/PA Wire
The Republic has published an 'ambitious but realistic' climate change action plan. Picture by John Giles/PA Wire The Republic has published an 'ambitious but realistic' climate change action plan. Picture by John Giles/PA Wire

THE Republic's government is seeking to introduce an extensive charging system for electric vehicles as it plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2030.

The measures form part of an ambitious Climate Action Plan, which was published yesterday.

It aims to bring 950,000 electric vehicles into circulation as part of what Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton described as "ambitious but realistic" goals.

He said the plan identified how the Republic would achieve its 2030 targets for carbon emissions, and put the country "on a trajectory to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050".

The plan also includes proposals to eliminate non-recyclable plastic and impose higher fees on the production of materials which are hard to recycle.

Single-use plastic items, including plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds, will be banned.

Currently only 30 per cent of the south's electricity comes from renewable sources – the Dublin government intends to increase that figure to 70 per cent.

There are also proposals to introduce a microgeneration scheme to allow homeowners to generate their own electricity and sell what they do not use back to the national grid.

The network of cycling paths and park-and-ride facilities will also be extended in an effort to reduce congestion, while there will be an intensive programme of retrofitting that will see 400,000 heat pumps installed in homes and businesses.

In relation to agriculture, the plan says there will be "new, sustainable opportunities for family farms".