State failing to meet pollution targets, warns report

Ireland is set to breach two international environmental agreements unless it makes major reductions in air polluting emissions, a report warned today.

The level of greenhouse gases is currently running at 23% more than allowed under the Kyoto Protocol, while the level of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions is more than 40% above that permitted under the Gothenburg Protocol.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) said the economic boom over the last seven years had led to a rise in the consumption of raw materials and energy inputs - with knock-on effects on the environment.

In its newly published environmental account, the CSO said carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions increased by 17% from around 38.6 million tonnes in 1997 to 45 million tonnes in 2004.

Although there were only minor increases in the resident and industrial sectors during the seven-year period, C02 emissions from transport shot up by 62% and in the services sector, C02 emissions increased by 38%.

Although the emissions of another greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, decreased by 11% over the period, this was primarily due to the closure of a "specific plant in the chemical sector". It is believed the company in question was Irish Fertiliser Industries, which closed its plants in Cork, Arklow and Belfast in 2002 with the loss of 620 jobs.

The nitrous oxide emissions from the transport sector increased by 75% between 1997 and 2004.

The introduction of low sulphur transport fuel in 1999 and a decline in sulphur emissions from electricity generation led to sulphur dioxide emissions falling by a massive 57%.

However, if Ireland is to meet its 2010 target under the Gothenburg Protocol, its sulphur dioxide emissions will have to fall by 41% and its nitrous oxide emissions will have to fall by 45%.