Two five-year plans, that aim to cut Irish greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade, have been released.
The government plans to make the carbon budgets legally binding within the next four months.
The first five-year budget will require cuts of 4.8% a year compared with emissions in 2018. After 2025, a second budget is to kick in, with a yearly reduction of 8.4% planned.
The first two 5-year carbon budgets equate to a total reduction of 51% emissions over the period to 2030.
As things stand, 54% of Irish greenhouse gas emissions come from energy and under 5% from industry. Close to a third is generated by farming, more than three times the EU average of 11%.
The council says in order to meet the goals, between 600,000 and 1.5 million battery electric vehicles would have to replace petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
The reports says proposals by Teagasc to cut agricultural emissions without reducing livestock numbers would not be enough for even its less ambitious forecasts for the sector. It says a cut of just one-third to farming pollution would demand 200,000 fewer dairy cows.
Marie Donnelly, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, says action to cut emissions is now becoming urgent;
"The alternative is uncontrolled climate change with quite honestly very significant consequences for many parts of the world including Ireland."
Climate Action Minister Eamon Ryan says he intends to publish sector-by-sector plans and to have the carbon budgets ratified by the Oireachtas within four months.
“This will be challenging and will require fundamental changes in many parts of Irish life, but it is also an opportunity to create a cleaner, greener economy and society that cuts emissions, creates jobs and protects our people and the planet” he said.
