Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Wednesday, 30 November 2005

Questions (241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246)

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

277 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the target which Ireland has set in the national climate change strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions due to the altering of the fuel mix for the purposes of heating in the built environment and residential sector by 2012 (details supplied); the reduction achieved by these measures to date in 2005; the target for reduction in greenhouse gases by altering of the fuel mix for the purposes of heating in the built environment and residential sector for each year between now and 2012; the steps he is taking to ensure the 2012 target is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37155/05]

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Eamon Gilmore

Question:

284 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the target which Ireland has set in the national climate change strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment and residential sector by 2012; the reduction achieved in the sector to date in 2005; the target for reduction in greenhouse gases attributable to the built environment and residential sector for each year between now and 2012; the estimated annual cost to Ireland if green house gas emissions from this sector remain at their current level; the steps he is taking to ensure the target is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37167/05]

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Eamon Gilmore

Question:

287 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the target which Ireland has set in the national climate change strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gas achieved by energy efficiency measures for existing buildings by 2012; the reduction achieved by these measures in this sector to date in 2005; the target for reduction in greenhouse gases achieved by energy efficiency measures for existing buildings for each year between now and 2012; the steps he is taking to ensure the 2012 target is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37170/05]

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Eamon Gilmore

Question:

288 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the target which Ireland has set in the national climate change strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions due to the altering of the fuel mix for the purposes of heating in the built environment and residential sector by 2012; the reduction achieved by these measures to date in 2005; the target for reduction in greenhouse gases by altering of the fuel mix for the purposes of heating in the built environment and residential sector for each year between now and 2012; the steps he is taking to ensure the 2012 target is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37171/05]

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Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 277, 284, 287 and 288 together.

I refer to the reply to Question No. 7 of 29 November 2005. The national climate change strategy sets out Ireland's approach to meeting its target for the propose of the Kyoto Protocol, which is to limit growth in greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990 levels in the 2008-12 commitment period. The strategy projected greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment and residential sector to decrease from 7,018 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 1990 to 6,789 million tonnes in 2010, with proposed reduction targets for the entire sector of 0.9 million tonnes. In 2003, the latest year for which figures are available, total emissions from the sector were 6.6 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent.

The strategy proposed that measures to change the mix of fuels which are used for space and water heating would result in a reduction of 0.25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2010 while improved energy efficiency of existing buildings would result in savings of 0.4 million tonnes over the same period. Figures published by Sustainable Energy Ireland in Energy in Ireland 1990-2003 indicate that for the residential, commercial and public services sectors there has been a significant shift from the more carbon intensive fuels to less carbon intensive fuels for space and water heating. As a result, unit carbon dioxide emissions associated with space and water heating in the residential sector have fallen by 25.1 % over the period 1990-2003, though there has been an increase of 0.7% between 2000-03. In the commercial and public services sector, however, there has been a growth in carbon dioxide emissions of 31.5% between 1990 and 2003 associated with space and water heating in this sector though between 2000-03 there has been an average annual decrease of 1.2%.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

278 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the target which Ireland has set in the national climate change strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector by the introduction of a labelling system for vehicles by 2010; the reduction achieved by these measures to date in 2005; the target for reduction in greenhouse gases attributable to the use of labelling for each year between now and 2010; the steps he is taking to ensure the 2010 target is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37183/05]

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Eamon Gilmore

Question:

291 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the planned timeframe and agenda set out to implement the EU initiative for fuel economy labelling of all new cars as specified under the national climate change strategy; the steps which have been taken since 2000 to establish this system; the steps he intends to take to implement this system by 2010; the target for total reduction of carbon emissions to be achieved by this measure; the reduction of carbon emissions achieved to date in 2005 by this measure. [37175/05]

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Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 291 together.

I refer to the reply to Question No. 105 of 29 November 2005.