Govt planning Kyoto 'buy-out': Friends of the Earth

Today's Budget makes clear the Government plans to buy its way out of Ireland's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to tackle climate change, according to environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth.

Brian Cowen today announced he was putting €270m aside to buy "carbon credits" overseas to cover Ireland's excess carbon pollution.

"Ireland's carbon emissions are rising and the Government's own figures predict a 35 million tonne overshoot for the five-year Kyoto commitment period from 2008 to 2012," Friends of the Earth said today.

"Today's Budget makes provision to buy credits for over half that - 18m tonnes. Business is expected to buy another 10 million tonnes and another seven million tonnes remain unaccounted for.

"The Government hopes a new climate action plan will eliminate those emissions, otherwise the taxpayers will have to pick up the tab for that too."

Friends of the Earth director Oisin Coghlan said: "With this Budget, the Government's Kyoto cop-out is complete."