Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 December 2013
276. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which this country is obligated to conform to international agreements in respect of carbon emission reductions; the extent to which we remain on target in this regard; the consequences in the event of failure to meet targets in this regard in respect of carbon-related penalties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51673/13]
View answerIreland is subject to legally binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets, pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in respect of the period 2008 to 2012 and as part of its membership of the European Union, pursuant to the so-called Effort Sharing Decision (Decision No 406/2009/EC) in respect of the period 2013 to 2020. Specifically, under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland must limit the growth in its GHG emissions to 13 per cent above 1990 levels over the period 2008 to 2012. Under the Effort Sharing Decision, which applies to GHG emissions outside the scope of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System, Ireland must limit the growth in its GHG emissions to 20 per cent below 2005 levels over the period 2013 to 2020. Ireland is on course to confirm compliance with its target for the purposes of the Kyoto Protoco l in the commitment period 2008 to 2012.
In light of the ambitious target set for Ireland to reduce its GHG emissions over the period 2013 to 2020, I am aware that this will prove challenging to achieve. However, I am satisfied that Ireland is on course to comply with the mitigation trajectory in the first half of this compliance period. I will review progress in terms of meeting the compliance challenge in the years 2017 to 2020, having regard to the outcome of the ongoing programme for the development of national climate policy and legislation. Consistent with the Government’s commitment to meeting Ireland’s obligations and its progressive approach to the development of national climate policy, the focus on securing compliance with European Union law in the period to 2020 will be on domestic mitigation rather than the purchase of additional carbon credits.
