Drop in emissions possible in Ireland if speed limit is reduced: MEP

DUBLIN, Ireland: Cutting Ireland's motorway speed limit to 110 km/h could significantly reduce carbon emissions, according to Green Party MEP Ciaran Cuffe.

Cuffe suggests that reducing car and truck speeds by 10 km/h would lower emissions from Ireland's largest carbon-emitting sector: transport. Transport accounted for 40 percent of the country's energy-related emissions in 2018 and continues to rise.

The proposed change, though expected to add around eight to nine minutes to a 200-km trip, could improve fuel consumption for drivers at high speeds, contributing to a projected 10 percent reduction in transport emissions. This, Cuffe estimates, would lead to an overall 1 percent decrease in Ireland's national emissions-an impactful step toward climate targets. "It could mean a relatively small inconvenience for drivers but would be a notable reduction in emissions, marking a step in the right direction," he said.

However, the proposal faces criticism. Conor Faughnan of the AA argues that the environmental benefits would be minimal and that any gains would be largely speculative. "Even the environmental benefits outlined by the Department of Transport are theoretical at best and very small," he said. Faughnan also raised concerns about the disruption and inconvenience the speed limit reduction would cause for road users across the country.

While not part of the current Programme for Government, the idea aligns with its commitment to review speed limits as part of ongoing efforts to reduce emissions.