Soft targets chosen in anti-carbon campaign

THE more I see and hear Environment Minister John Gormley, the more I’m convinced he’s on one huge ego trip.

His so-called environmental initiatives are nothing more than a self-serving PR campaign designed to show the Green party in action.

Mr Gormley’s efforts to crucify the ordinary car driver have been well documented. His light bulb plan is a joke, simply taxing the ordinary citizen who is an easy target.

His plans will do nothing of significance to reduce Ireland’s CO2 emissions and nothing at all to improve European or global CO2 emissions.

His failure to tackle either commercial vehicles, heavy industry or airlines is testament to his unwillingness to do something worthwhile to reduce CO2 emission levels.

Aer Lingus and Ryanair recently announced load factors in the region of 80%, ie, 20% of their seats, on average, are empty.

A Government initiative to reduce the number of flights by these carriers by, for example, 10% would do more to reduce CO2 emissions than any of the plans already announced.

Mr Gormley is seated at the European Council of Ministers — a powerful forum which could have tangible effects on the policies of China, India and the USA, three of the biggest CO2 producers in the world.

Why does our minister not lead efforts to levy imports from these countries unless they can demonstrate a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions?

Maybe it’s because they are not soft targets? Do we really need imported fruit from South Africa or Brazil, or wine from Chile or Australia?

If CO2 emissions are as big a problem as some commentators make out, then it is an issue that needs to be tackled globally.

Here let the powers-that-be direct their efforts to areas where they will have a significant effect, not a token one. Lay off the easy targets.

Peadar Gill

Crossafehin

Virginia

Co Cavan