The small Pacific islands nation, which is vulnerable to sea level rises caused by global warming, is he second country to call for an agreement to end the era of burning fossil fuels after fellow Pacific nation Vanuatu.

Climate activists have welcomed the move but condemned large polluters, such as the US and China, for ensuring that fossil fuels have largely been shielded by previous climate talks. Last year, at Cop26 in Scotland, countries vowed for the first time to “phase down” the use of coal, although the use of gas and oil was not mentioned.

Kausea Natano, the prime minister of Tuvalu, said that “the warming seas are starting to swallow our lands, inch by inch. But the world’s addiction to oil, gas and coal can’t sink our dreams under the waves.

“We, therefore, unite with a hundred Nobel peace prize laureates and thousands of scientists worldwide and urge world leaders to join the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty to manage a just transition away from fossil fuels.”

“Countries like Tuvalu are the ones on the frontlines, they know they can’t just give in to the vested interests of the fossil fuel companies,” said Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy at Climate Action Network International. “We know who the victims of the climate crisis are and we know who the perpetrators are but we don’t ever discuss fossil fuels, the elephant in the room.”

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However, the motoring experts at LeaseCar.uk have broken down the reported issues with E10 petrol efficiency and offered their top tips to decrease fuel consumption.

According to the UK Government, any car manufactured after 2011 is compatible with E10 fuel, but any motorists unsure about their vehicle’s compatibility should use the checker on the Gov.uk website.

Since the new petrol came into use, some drivers have reported issues related to fuel efficiency, with some complaining they are having to work their engines much harder to achieve the same speeds as were possible with E5 petrol.

A spokesperson for LeaseCar.uk said: “Many motorists have discovered challenges with new E10 petrol, concerning increased engine wear and tear and fuel consumption.

“Because of this, we want to urge motorists to understand the best ways to conserve fuel usage in their vehicles in order to see positive results in how they are using their petrol.”

Look after your tyres

Driving with flat tyres can significantly reduce their life expectancy and can contribute to excess fuel consumption.

All motorists should check their tyres around once a month, no matter how old the vehicle. Tyre pressure information can often be found on the inside of the driver side door or in the car’s manual.

Try not to lose momentum 

Keeping a vehicle moving at the right speed is essential to preserving fuel. Motorists who are slowing down and losing momentum before quickly speeding up again are using more fuel than is necessary.

The best advice is to drive as smoothly as possible, depending on the road ahead and traffic conditions.

Remove excess weight

Any additions such as roof racks and boxes should be removed when not in use as they can also create a greater drag force, especially at higher speeds.

The same effect can be had with weight inside the car – unnecessary items in your boot or back seat will decrease the amount of miles you can get per gallon.

Don’t drive in neutral

It is a common misconception that motorists don’t expend any petrol or diesel when putting their car into neutral whilst travelling down a hill. However, this is often false as many drivers fail to gauge the right gear to go back into, which in turn burns more fuel.

Attempts to put the car back into drive can be particularly risky in automatic vehicles as the engine will not have gone through the natural progression of gears. Doing this places a lot of stress on the engine and uses up more fuel than staying in gear.

Avoid idling

Remaining idle for too long wastes a considerable amount of fuel. Many modern cars are installed with a ‘stop start’ feature which can keep from leaving the engine running. Motorists driving cars without this feature should ensure they are always turning their engine off when sitting idle.

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The plan aims to set out a route for Ireland to achieve greenhouse gas emissions of 51% by the end of the decade.

With public services used to drive major changes, all new vehicles purchased by the State from the end of next year will have to be electric where possible.

It is expected  that there will be half a million more daily journeys completed by either walking, cycling or on public transport by 2030. The transport sector is aiming to cut emissions by between 42% and 51%.

The Taoiseach has said that country has a very significant journey ahead of it, but society should support the plan, which he believes will “transform lives into the future”.

The final document will also set a greenhouse gas emission reduction target for agriculture within a range of 22% to 30%.

Emissions from energy must reduce by 62% to 81%, while a fall in greenhouse gas emissions from businesses has been set within a band of 29% to 41%.

A large grant-aided retrofitting scheme for homes will be central to reducing emissions from housing by between 44% and 56% over the period This scheme will aim to make 500,000 homes more energy efficient by 2030, including retrofitting 36,500 social housing units.

The Department of Housing will also seek to reduce emissions by introducing new building regulations aimed at forcing builders to construct mo

The Minister for Climate Action Eamon Ryan described the plan as one of the most ambitious in the world, saying Ireland is showing leadership on climate and is well placed to tackle it. He said the plan contains around 1,000 measures.

All sectors will get a specific emissions reduction ceiling next year, after the Oireachtas passes the Carbon Budget, which determines the rate by which over-all emissions are reduced over two five-year periods.

The plan envisages a cut in transport between 42% and 50% and calls for half a million daily journeys to be completed by walking, cycling, or using public transport.

Biofuels are to be increased in public transport and there will be an expansion of electric bus and rail fleets.

More specifically, it plans on having 1,500 buses by 2030, while the overall number of electric vehicles in Ireland will be one million.

The state will have a role too, with all public transport and public fleets to be updated to low emission alternatives.

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