Written Answers. - Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
117
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government
the progress made to date in implementing the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions agreed by Ireland under the Kyoto Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16521/03]
Kathleen Lynch
Ceist:
135
Ms Lynch
asked the
Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government
the action he intends to take arising from the publication of figures from the European Environment Agency showing that of the 15 members of the EU, Ireland had done the least to comply with the terms of the Kyoto Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16508/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 135 together.
I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 160 and 178 of 14 May 2003.
The ultimate objective of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC, is the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system, to be achieved within a timeframe sufficient, inter alia, to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. Thus, under the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC all countries, including Ireland, negotiated a real, meaningful and challenging target that require going beyond business-as-usual. Given the complexity of the task, the timeframe involved is 15 years, of which some five years have now elapsed.
Ireland has a Kyoto emissions growth limitation target of 13% over 1990 levels within the overall EU Kyoto reduction target of 8%, reflecting our contribution to the overall EU commitment and our need for economic development. Our emissions of greenhouse gases were always expected to increase in the medium term, and we have ensured this was at a considerably slower rate than our unprecedented economic growth since the 1990s. Ireland is the most successful member state after Luxembourg in achieving a decoupling of emissions from economic growth since 1990. Emissions per unit of GDP are now 62% of what they were in 1990 compared to 78% for the EU as a whole.
Ireland, however, has now the highest levels of emissions growth within the EU, reaching 31% in 2001 over 1990 levels. The European Environment Agency has identified us as among ten of 15 member states significantly challenged in relation to achieving their agreed share of the EUs Kyoto target. The substantial reductions achieved by some member states followed significant and abrupt structural changes occurring for other reasons. Recent data indicate some erosion of reduction gains beginning to occur as emissions for the EU as a whole rose in 2001.
Our Kyoto obligations arise in the commitment period 2008-12. The Government's national climate change strategy, published in November 2000, comprises a systematic programme towards meeting these obligations, and sets a ten year policy framework for achieving the necessary emissions reductions.
A progress report on the implementation of the strategy was published in May 2002. While this shows that measures in place or in progress are capable of achieving approximately 20% of the reductions required to meet our Kyoto Protocol obligations, continuing emissions increases due to volume growth in the economy mean that implementation of the strategy must be intensified. In essence, there has been progress in decoupling emissions growth from economic development, but the task now is to intensify this decoupling.
Meeting our target is an important Government commitment, and a review of the implementation of the strategy has been initiated to ensure more focused and intensive implementation. I intend to publish the outcome of this review later in the year. My Department is satisfied that full implementation over the remainder of the decade, together with any additional measures which may be identified in the review, will ensure that our Kyoto obligations are fully met by the 2008-12 period, and any penalties are avoided.
The EPA environmental research programme under the national development plan includes a major report on scenarios and impacts of climate change in Ireland, and I expect this to be published shortly. This will provide a basis for the agencies responsible for long-term planning, and where adaptation to climate change is relevant, to factor in the inevitable changes with greater confidence. Meeting our Kyoto target will be an important contribution to global efforts to tackle climate change, and I am satisfied that it can only be through long-term sustained reductions globally that the expected effects of climate change in Ireland can be ameliorated.
