Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 2

Written Answers. - Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

John Gormley

Question:

244 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the action, if any, his Department will take to meet Ireland's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions; if he will give details of the baseline 1990 data and the projected increases in this regard; and the methods chosen to be used in transport and domestic and commercial use of energy, particularly electricity. [22944/97]

John Gormley

Question:

245 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will confirm that his Department is committed to meeting the national objective of limiting growth in CO 2 and greenhouse gases to 15 per cent above 1990 levels by the year 2010; his views on whether the considerable growth in CO 2 emissions from the transport sector implies that a major shift from private to public transport will be necessary to achieve that target; and the proposals, if any, he has to limit the growth in new vehicle registrations in view of the fact that the 1997 figures show a 10 per cent increase over 1996 levels. [22947/97]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.

Ireland's climate change policy, with the aim of meeting its commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), operates within the framework of overall EU policy to stabilise CO 2 emissions in the EU as a whole at 1990 levels by the year 2000. In this context, the national CO 2 abatement strategy is based on the objective of limiting CO 2 emissions to 20 per cent above 1990 levels by the year 2000.

Nineteen-ninety baseline data for greenhouse gas emissions (excluding HFCs, PFCs and SF 6 for which data are not yet available) are contained in Ireland's Second National Communication under the UN FCCC, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library. In order to limit the increase in emissions, a range of policies and measures have been put in place to improve general levels of efficiency in energy production and consumption. These include energy efficiency and conservation measures in the industrial, residential, commercial and institutional sectors as well as improving the efficiency of, and reducing the level of carbon intensity in, electricity production and managing growth in electricity demand. The range of policies and measures is discussed in Ireland's Second National Communication. A consultancy study to identify and evaluate the scope for intensifying existing, and developing additional policies and measures to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions is expected to be completed shortly.

As far as the transport sector is concerned, the communication refers to measures being taken to improve the efficiency of the road and rail networks, to promote public transport and other alternatives to the private car in major urban areas (including Dublin), and to reduce the age profile and increase the fuel efficiency of private cars. It describes the DTI Strategy for Dublin which, when fully implemented, will secure a significant shift towards the use of public transport in the area.

As part of the preparation of the EU's negotiating position, in advance of the Third Conference of the Parties to the UN FCCC, which proposed that developed countries should, individually or jointly, reduce emissions of CO 2, CH 4 and N2O together by 15 per cent by 2010 compared to 1990 levels, the Government adopted an indicative national target of limiting the increase in the emissions of these three gases together to 15 per cent above the 1990 level by the year 2010. The internal EU burden sharing arrangement, to which the indicative national target relates, will require review in the light of the terms of the Kyoto Protocol.

Future policy development in relation to climate change, including aspects relating to transport, will take into account,inter alia, the Kyoto Protocol, developments at EU level and the conclusions of the consultancy study to which I have already referred.