Vol. 417 No. 6
29 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment whether he has considered the findings of the US National Aeronautic and Space Administration and the European Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Experiment which shows that dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide are building up over Northern Europe; and if he will call for an emergency meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol to consider this problem.
122 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the details of the agreement reached on a new time table for eliminating substances which damage the ozone layer at an informal meeting of the EC Environment Ministers in Portugal recently.
143 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if, he will make a statement on the latest findings on ozone depletion of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration findings which indicate a record high concentration of chlorine monoxide, a chemical by-product of the chloro-fluorocarbons which are the chief agents of ozone destruction, located in the northern skies last month; if he will outline his views on what is chiefly responsible for the continued depletion; if he will further outline the steps being taken to end CFC use in Ireland and if he considers that those who are responsible should provide the funds needed in switching technologies; whether he supports a policy to ban imports which do not meet ozone-friendly standards; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the latest findings suggest the area of greatest ozone depletion will most likely be above 50 degrees north latitude along the US/Canada border and will also take in the British Isles, Scandinavia, Belgium, Germany and Russia; and if he will make a statement generally on the matter.
145 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if he has any plans to bring forward measures such as those announced in the US and UK to protect the ozone layer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
148 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the action he is taking on foot of the new evidence of a build-up of greenhouse gases which is causing damage to the ozone layer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 122, 143, 145 and 148 together. I share fully the concern at the recent scientific findings on the ozone layer. It is well known that damage to the ozone layer is caused by emissions of chloro-fluorocarbons (CFCs), halons and other similar chlorine-containing substances which have a long residence time in the atmosphere; the recent findings are also linked to the presence of volcanic ash in the stratosphere as a result of the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines last year.
The EC has responded quickly to the situation. The Environment Council which I attended on 23 March adopted a position in favour of the elimination of the production and consumption of CFCs and related substances by end 1995 and a reduction of 85 per cent in most cases by end 1993. The Community will press for the adoption of these measures at the review of the Montreal Protocol to the Ozone Convention which is to be concluded in Copenhagen next November.
EC Regulation 594/91 already provides a Community regime for the control and elimination — generally by 1997, of CFCs and related substances. The stricter position to which the Community is now committed will require the adoption of a new regulation.
