Carbon cost of Govt flights to be collected in Climate Action Fund
Plans are being made to assess the level of carbon emissions being used by Government flights.
The Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has announced a new step to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Since the start of January, all Government Departments and Offices have been told to calculate and record the carbon emissions linked with every flight they take.
They then have to value every tonne of carbon emissions their air travel gives rise to at the prevailing rate of the carbon tax - €26 per tonne in 2020.
These funds will be taken from each Department's travel budget and put in to the Government's Climate Action Fund, where the money will be used to boost domestic activity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Travel on the Government Jet is also covered by these new procedures.
Minister Donohoe said by increasing the cost of Government air travel and taking it from existing travel budgets, it will incentivise Departments to reduce their air travel.
