Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Apr 2000

Vol. 517 No. 5

Written Answers. - Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

17 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the information, if any, on greenhouse gas emissions which has been sent to the EU and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariats as required under the EU monitoring mechanism for CO2 and other greenhouse gases. [7663/00]

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

Information on greenhouse gas emissions is reported to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the European Commission in accordance with agreed reporting requirements. This information is compiled on the basis of emissions inventories and projections prepared by the EPA based on official activity data and outlooks provided by Government Departments.

Following work undertaken by an expert group consisting of representatives of the ESRI, ESBI and other relevant Government departments, the EPA has recently finalised revised emissions inventories on the basis of the latest reporting requirements of the convention, 1996, revised intergovernmental panel on climate change guidelines and software. The revised figures indicate that, on a business as usual basis, Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions could reach up to 35% above 1990 levels by 2010.

The figures were recently presented to the European Commission in accordance with Council Decision 1999/296/EC amending decision 93/389/EEC for a monitoring mechanism of community CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. They are now being forwarded to the UN secretariat in line with new UN reporting requirements.