Vol. 429 No. 6
152 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for the Environment if there is a national surveillance system for monitoring the output of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases; if so, the locations of these systems; the readings from them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
National emissions of carbon dioxide are calculated by applying emission factors to fuel consumption figures. The EC is co-operating with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in developing agreed international emission factors.
As I stated in reply to Questions Nos. 30 and 41 on 1 April 1993, the EC Environmental Council has reached agreement on a Council decision for a monitoring mechanism of Community CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. Pending adoption of this decision, Ireland has already transmitted a national CO2 strategy to the EC Commission; I intend to publish this shortly. Irish CO2 emissions in 1990 were estimated at 8.9 million tonnes of carbon. An inventory of methane emissions will be prepared during this year.
