5 REDUCING RESIDENTIAL CARBoN EMISSIoNS …
55
ConCLusion
Ireland has a long way to go in order to meet its binding carbon emissions targets for 2020 and beyond. If Ireland is to meet its longer-term
carbon emissions targets, household energy use and related carbon
emissions will need to reduce dramatically. This chapter provides examples of recent SECIs undertaken in Ireland. As evidenced in Table 5.1,
the majority of these initiatives target changes in individual behaviour
or technological changes. These approaches mirror general government
policy, where technological and innovation approaches are pursued to
provide ‘solutions’ for problems such as excessive energy use. However,
recent trends suggest that technological approaches alone are insufficient
to deliver the necessary reductions in residential carbon emissions.
The good practice example illustrates some of the complexities in
achieving more sustainable energy use. The SHARE initiative brought
together a range of actors from across society, including local authorities, householders and practitioners, to help people in social housing
to reduce their energy use and alleviate energy poverty. The tailored
approach aimed to overcome some of the contextual difficulties experienced by householders and other actors. However, it also demonstrated
the myriad other difficulties facing low-income households, and showed
that people are somewhat detached from their energy use. The project
also identified some shortcomings in existing SECIs, such as linking
energy use with related issues such as comfort, health and well-being,
as well as environmental and economic concerns. This more holistic approach to energy use should be considered in designing future
initiatives.
referenCes
DCENR. (2015). Ireland’s transition to a low carbon energy future 2015–2030.
Available at https://www.dccae.gov.ie/documents/Energy%20White%20
Paper%20-%20Dec%202015.pdf. Accessed 27 April 2018.
Eurostat. (2015). EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC).
Available at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/
Housing_statistics. Accessed 20 November 2018.
Eurostat. (2018). Eurostat labour force survey. Available at https://ec.europa.
eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Household_composition_statistics#Household_size. Accessed 20 November 2018.
55
ConCLusion
Ireland has a long way to go in order to meet its binding carbon emissions targets for 2020 and beyond. If Ireland is to meet its longer-term
carbon emissions targets, household energy use and related carbon
emissions will need to reduce dramatically. This chapter provides examples of recent SECIs undertaken in Ireland. As evidenced in Table 5.1,
the majority of these initiatives target changes in individual behaviour
or technological changes. These approaches mirror general government
policy, where technological and innovation approaches are pursued to
provide ‘solutions’ for problems such as excessive energy use. However,
recent trends suggest that technological approaches alone are insufficient
to deliver the necessary reductions in residential carbon emissions.
The good practice example illustrates some of the complexities in
achieving more sustainable energy use. The SHARE initiative brought
together a range of actors from across society, including local authorities, householders and practitioners, to help people in social housing
to reduce their energy use and alleviate energy poverty. The tailored
approach aimed to overcome some of the contextual difficulties experienced by householders and other actors. However, it also demonstrated
the myriad other difficulties facing low-income households, and showed
that people are somewhat detached from their energy use. The project
also identified some shortcomings in existing SECIs, such as linking
energy use with related issues such as comfort, health and well-being,
as well as environmental and economic concerns. This more holistic approach to energy use should be considered in designing future
initiatives.
referenCes
DCENR. (2015). Ireland’s transition to a low carbon energy future 2015–2030.
Available at https://www.dccae.gov.ie/documents/Energy%20White%20
Paper%20-%20Dec%202015.pdf. Accessed 27 April 2018.
Eurostat. (2015). EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC).
Available at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/
Housing_statistics. Accessed 20 November 2018.
Eurostat. (2018). Eurostat labour force survey. Available at https://ec.europa.
eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Household_composition_statistics#Household_size. Accessed 20 November 2018.