Vol. 546 No. 1
9 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will make a statement on the outcome of the 7th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Marrakesh in November 2001. [31116/01]
32 Ms Clune asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the decisions which have been taken on climate change following the meeting in Marrakesh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31013/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 32 together.
The 7th Conference of the Parties to the UN Climate Change Convention – COP7 – was successful in reaching agreement to transpose the political outcome of COP6 bis in Bonn into legal decision texts forming the international rules to govern implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. The agreement reached includes provision for a strong compliance system, operational rules for the Protocol's flexible mechanisms, arrangements for limited access to additional links and additional funding to support developing countries in adapting to climate change.
Parties are now in a position to proceed with ratification of the Protocol and the EU and member states, in their continued leadership of international climate negotiations, are making the preparations necessary to ratify the Protocol as soon as possible. It is our expectation that this will be done in sufficient time to allow for its entry into force by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in September 2002. The Protocol requires sufficient developed country parties, representing at least 55% of 1990 emissions of CO2 from this category of country, to ratify before it may enter into force. The EU will maintain its efforts to ensure the necessary parties ratify the Protocol so that it may come into legal operation.
As these are two oral questions not more than 12 minutes is allocated for them. I call Deputy Clune first as one of the questions is in her name.
In November 2000 the Government produced the national climate change strategy. We were told at that time there would progress towards the implementation of the climate change strategy in 2002. Why was there no movement towards that in the budget?
I do not subscribe to the view that everything should be in the budget.
The Minister for Finance referred to it yesterday.
The national climate change strategy was published last November. There are a substantial number of measures across a range of Departments that have to be put in place. There have been a number of developments over the past 12 months and they will continue during the next 12 months. For instance, necessary changes to the building regulations to reduce the energy requirements have been accelerated to ensure their full implementation well ahead of 2005, the date contained in the strategy. New renewal energy competition is almost complete to provide an extra 255 megawatts of generating capacity in electricity and full market access to electricity has been granted for CHP. There has been substantial investment in public transport in the national development plan, which will reduce reliance on the private car, especially in Dublin. There has been a 30% increase in premia for private sector forestry and there has been a range of other developments across all sectors. I do not accept we have to wait for budget day every year before we further implement what is contained in climate change strategy.
I was interested to hear the Minister state it is intended that Ireland will have ratified the Kyoto Protocol before the September summit. Can we expect legislation for the ratification to be introduced early in the new year? If so, what legislation will include the ratification process?
How far in excess of the Kyoto targets, to which we agreed, is this country working on a business as usual basis? The EPA reported last year that we were at about twice the limit, to which we agreed. How far more than twice the limit is the country now, given that the climate change strategy announced last year has not been implemented?
Some confusion arises about the limits and so on. The EPA projected on a number of occasions that if we continue on a business as usual scenario, if we do not do anything, that we would reach a level of 37% plus rather than the level of 13% plus in 1990. That is based on economic assumptions and growth rates of 7% or 8%, which is not the case now. The latest figure I saw – if it is incorrect I will come back to the Deputy on it – is that we are now at the level of 20% plus on the 1990 figures.
What is level projected to be by 2010?
The estimation, which is based on many assumptions, one being that economic growth continues at the same level, is that the level will be in the range of 34% to 37% rather than 13%.
When will legislation be introduced to ratify the Protocol?
The matter of the Protocol and necessary legislative provisions will depend on the date we decide to ratify the Protocol.
Yesterday, the Minister for Finance told us that in an effort to address the climate change strategy a tax will be imposed on sulphur based fuels, with a distinction between low sulphur based and high sulphur based fuels. Can the Minister confirm that is part of his strategy?
The Minister mentioned that the climate change strategy is based on economic performance. Will the slowdown in the economy affect our target projections?
If the recent downturn were to continue, it would obviously affect them in a favourable way in that we would not, on a business as usual scenario, reach the 37% level. If there is major economic growth and we do not learn how to uncouple economic growth from pollution, we would be in difficulty.
The move away from the use of high sulphur diesel is part of an attempt to reduce some of the gases contained in, what is called, the greenhouse gas basket and to meet targets, but it is also designed to meet targets under other Protocols and other international obligations. We have specific commitments to reductions in sulphur emissions by 2010, which is also related to other matters that are the subject of other questions.
