Bernard Allen
Question:263 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if Ireland is one of the highest polluters in Europe in terms of CO2 emissions per person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17648/02]
Written Answers. - Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
Bernard Allen
Question:333 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on reports that Ireland is among the worst polluters in the European Union in terms of total green house gas emissions; and his proposals to deal with the situation in view of the Government's international obligations under the Kyoto Protocol [17736/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 333 together.
Per capita emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions for 1997 for all EU member states are presented in Emissions to Air 1990-1998, Estimation Methods, Trends and Challenges – EPA 2000. A copy is in the Oireachtas Library. The OECD recently published its environmental indicators 2001, which includes the following data on per capita CO2 emissions from energy use for 1998.
|
Country |
Per Capita CO2 Emissions from Energy Use 1998 (tonnes) |
|
Portugal |
5.4 |
|
Sweden |
6.0 |
|
France |
6.4 |
|
Spain |
6.5 |
|
Italy |
7.4 |
|
Austria |
7.6 |
|
Greece |
7.9 |
|
UK |
9.3 |
|
Germany |
10.4 |
|
Ireland |
10.4 |
|
Denmark |
10.8 |
|
The Netherlands |
10.8 |
|
Finland |
11.6 |
|
Belgium |
12.0 |
|
Luxembourg |
16.8 |
|
EU 15 |
9.3 |
The OECD figure of 10.4 tonnes of CO2 per capita for Ireland is not comparable to the figure of circa 11 tonnes of CO2 per capita indicated in the EPA report as the OECD figure relates to emissions from energy use only.
The European Environment Agency report, European Community and member states greenhouse gas emission trends 1990-1999, which is available at http://reports.eea.eu.int/topicreport200110/english, indicates that Ireland has the highest per capita emissions of total greenhouse gases for the EU in 1999, calculated on a global warming potential basis, not including emissions and sequestration from the land use change and forestry sector. The difference between Ireland's position when comparing CO2 only and total greenhouse gas emissions arises mainly from the disproportionate contribution to total emissions of methane – CH4 – and nitrous oxide – N2O – from the agriculture sector to total emissions from Ireland compared to other EU countries. Both of these gases have a significantly higher GWP than CO2, which is the base gas for comparing the contribution to global warming of all greenhouse gases. The GWP of CO2 is one, that for CH4 is 21, and that for N2O is 310. As regards meeting our international obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, I refer the Deputy to the relevant question on today's Order Paper.