EU warns Government not to ‘buy its way out of Kyoto’

IRELAND has been told to make real reductions in carbon dioxide emissions at home rather than trying to buy its way out of our commitments.

The Government’s plan for cutting greenhouse gasses over the next six years to 2012 was accepted yesterday by the European Commission on condition that changes were made to it.

The plan is part of the EU and Ireland’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses under the Kyoto Protocol.

The commission assessed the plans from 10 member states, including Ireland, and insisted all, except Britain, reduce the amount of CO2 they were allowing themselves to emit.

The average reduction for the 10 countries is 7%; it is slightly less for Ireland at 6.4%. A commission spokes- person said: “We believe that if Ireland meets the [cumulative] target of 21.15 million tonnes we propose [from 2008], it can meet its Kyoto target by 2012.”

But the most controversial aspect of Ireland’s plan is its proposal to spend taxpayers’ money helping poorer countries in central and eastern Europe to reduce their harmful emissions to escape doing so at home.

The quantity saved can then be emitted in Ireland by Irish companies. This mechanism is allowed under the Kyoto agreement as a way of reducing global emissions.

The commission said Ireland was relying too heavily on this mechanism.

“It’s a cheaper way of meeting the targets than spending the money on achieving real reductions of CO2 in Ireland,” said a commission expert.

The government has already approved €20m to pay for credits which are bought through a fund operated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Environment Minister Dick Roche said the Government would resubmit a revised plan by the end of December.

“I believe we will be able to demonstrate sufficient progress to deal with the commission’s concerns on this issue and reach agreement on an allocation closer to what we originally proposed.”

The commission also said the Government has underestimated pollution from transport on Irish roads over the six years from 2007.

Mr Roche said the figures were arrived at following comprehensive, independent analysis and he will demonstrate this to the commission.