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The European Commission has unveiled the world's most ambitious climate change plan which will heap pressure on Ireland to meet its plan to generate a huge part of electricity from offshore wind by 2030, while at the same time meeting the demand from data centres, Irish experts have said.

According to the Irish Examiner, the EU wants member states to focus on buildings and road transport, which have barely contributed to reducing carbon emissions, and proposes bans on the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars by 2035 while establishing rules for countries to provide electric and hydrogen fuel recharging points on their road networks.

The package of proposals, known as Fit for 55 or the European Green Deal, sets the bar higher for many member states, including Ireland.

Adding pressure on Ireland as an island is the proposal that shipping would be included in Europe's carbon trading system for the first time, while jet fuel emissions by aviation comes under increased scrutiny.

The European Commission, at the same time, plans to erect the world's first carbon border tariff, which would impose emission costs on imports of goods including steel, cement, and aluminium. 

Under the Green Deal, the EU has raised its renewable targets to 40% by 2030, and sets aim at legally binding targets to reduce net EU emissions by 55% by 2030, from 1990 levels, and eliminate them by 2050.

More here on Ireland's 2030 target.

Published in Power From the Sea

Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!