Ireland Makes Rare Decision to Deny LNG Port for Climate Reasons
The country’s top planning body turned down a proposal for a liquefied natural gas import facility, which would have helped keep the island hooked on fossil fuels for years.
A wind turbine on a hill top of a farm near Ballyconnell, County Cavan, Ireland.
Photographer: Paulo Nunes dos Santos/BloombergAmid Europe’s angst over energy security, Ireland has made one of the boldest moves of any nation on the continent in the name of climate action: It rejected a new fossil fuel import facility.
The country’s planning authority last month refused a proposal for a liquefied natural gas import terminal on the Shannon estuary and a related gas-fired power plant, after taking into consideration policies outlined in Ireland’s energy and climate action plan. The strategy calls for the country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions annually by 7% on average between 2021 and 2030.