As part of its net-zero goal, Ireland has committed to halve transport-related carbon emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 (excluding international aviation and maritime). Meeting net-zero targets implies economy-wide systemic change, specifically requiring transformative changes in the transport sector, as highlighted by the latest IPCC report. In line with this, the OECD and the Irish Climate Change Advisory Council collaborated to identify ways to trigger deep systemic change in the Irish surface passenger transport sector.

Ireland plans to achieve an economy-wide 51% greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030 (relative to 2018 levels), for which the transport sector is required to reduce its emissions by 50% by 2030. With three out of four citizens (on average) opting to travel by car on a daily basis, current mobility patterns in Ireland are incompatible with the country’s greenhouse gas reduction targets.

This chapter explains why a systemic approach is needed for Ireland to meet its ambitious climate targets and improve well-being. The OECD Systems Innovation for Net Zero process is introduced as a way forward to apply such an approach for innovative policy decision-making in the transport sector. It illustrates why car-dependent systems are unfit for purpose and how these systems can be redesigned via transformative policies. The chapter also provides an overview of the main findings and recommendations of the report.

This Chapter describes the mental models underlying transport systems and policies guided by the goal of mobility. It explains why a system focused on mobility is not fit for the purpose of achieving emission reductions and high well-being outcomes and calls for the redefinition of the transport system goal as sustainable accessibility. It shows that systems organised around sustainable accessibility can take different shapes in different areas, building on insights from an exercise covering Dublin, Cork, Sligo and Kildare.

This chapter explores the systems dynamics and mental models underlying car dependency. It also assesses the potential of current and planned Irish policies to shift away from car dependency and transition towards sustainable transport systems. The assessment of Irish policies builds on systemic tools (causal loop diagrams, stock and flow analyses, and the leverage points framework) and classifies policies according to their intent (reactive, anticipatory and transformative), and transformative potential (low, medium and high).

This chapter builds upon the analysis of Ireland’s existing and planned policies presented in Chapter 3. It offers recommendations on prioritising and scaling up transformative policies to accelerate Ireland’s transition towards transport systems that work for people and the planet. The recommendations are developed based on information gathered from interviews, ideas generated in workshops, OECD expertise and international best practice. The chapter also explores the ways in which rethinking current government structures and institutions can both trigger and foster transformative change.