We have a moral duty to cut carbon emissions

IT is seldom in the world of science that there is consensus.

However, there is no doubt about global warming.

And because the unprecedented threat now facing us all is now beyond dispute, we must act now to reverse the trend.

The Stern report and the most recent UN stance on global warming represent a final warning to national governments of the danger of ignoring this phenomenon.

Dr John Sweeney of NUI Maynooth, an expert on climatology, has also warned the Government of the same dangers and the threat of severe flooding in this country. And the EPA concurs.

This year the Government will spend €270m of taxpayers’ money to buy its way out of our current predicament — Ireland is almost 100% over its Kyoto carbon emission limits.

We simply cannot keep pumping CO2 into the atmosphere.

Worse still, we shouldn’t think of pumping out hundreds of thousands of additional tonnes of CO2 — this would be the result of the Government introducing incineration as a way of dealing with our waste.

With overwhelming scientific agreement on the causes of global warming, there can be no justification for burning limited resources and increasing CO2 emissions. Ireland has the worst record in Europe for controlling its emissions.

The Government must stop wasting our money on ill-conceived policies that fly in the face of all expert advice.

We have a moral obligation to our EU neighbours to reduce emissions.

Incineration has no part to play in how Ireland does this.

Mary O’Leary

Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment

West End Terrace

Cobh

Co Cork