Government launches new climate change strategy
New measures to help Ireland meet targets on climate change have been announced by the Government today.
The Climate Change Strategy, which was unveiled this afternoon by Minister for the Environment Dick Roche places new obligations on the public sector to help the country deliver commitments made under the Kyoto Protocol.
Minister Roche said the new measures would “provide the necessary additions for Ireland to play its part against global warming”.
The latest National Climate Change Strategy is aimed at all economic sectors, including energy, transport, and farming, as well as the residential and business sectors.
Combined with the Government's proposals on energy which have already been announced, there is to be a series of new obligations placed on the public sector, which will now have specific targets to live up to.
The Government will introduce a voluntary carbon-offsetting scheme for all Government business and civil service air travel.
All public bodies will have to be using energy efficient light-bulbs by the end of the year, and CIE, Ireland's single largest ground transport operator will have to move almost totally to energy efficient bio-diesel.
The Green Party described the plan as “far too little, too late”.
“This is Ireland's second Climate Change Strategy,” said Green Party environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe.
“How can we have confidence that the Government will implement this when they didn't implement much of the previous strategy from seven years ago?
“This Government failed in its promise to introduce a carbon levy. By reneging on this key commitment, it is subsidising the industry dinosaurs that feed on carbon, instead of creating new jobs in ocean, wind solar and other renewable energy production.
“The Minister for the Environment has used fuzzy maths to suggest that buying carbon credits is only a small part the Government's approach to tackling climate change. In reality, the purchase of carbon credits, along with the Emissions Trading Scheme, is providing the bulk of the reductions to meet our Kyoto Targets.
“We cannot simply buy our way out of the problem. The minister has designated €270m to purchase carbon credits abroad and trots out the argument that a tonne of carbon credits purchased in India fulfils our obligations under the Kyoto protocol.
“This attitude fails to address core problems in reducing our emissions, a fact borne out by this report.
“(Minister for Justice) Michael McDowell's admission at this afternoon's launch that climate change was only a 'fairly significant global issue' shows his own tenuous grasp of the issue.”
Professor Frank Convery, chairman of Comhar – Sustainable Development Council (SDC) – welcomed the strategy, but cautioned that a long-term focus will be needed if Ireland is to play its role in meeting the global challenge of climate change.
Professor Convery said that Comhar SDC was pleased that the new strategy is part of a complementary package of policies, including those in the White Paper on Energy and the Bio-energy Action Plan.
“A long-term approach to tackling climate change is urgently needed if Ireland is going to reverse the trend of increasing greenhouse-gas emissions,” said Professor Convery.
“In the years ahead, Ireland will be required to make much deeper cuts in emissions. The EU has already committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, and Ireland must play its part in achieving that target.”
