I propose to take Questions Nos. 129, 561 and 562 together.
The primary objective of the recent United Nations conference on climate change was to mandate a two-year round of formal negotiations with a view to adopting a new international agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol from 2013. The ‘Bali Roadmap' which was adopted at the conference provides that mandate and the expectation of the EU is that the negotiations which will now take place will lead to a new agreement in 2009. This is essential if a gap between the ending of the Kyoto Protocol commitment period in 2012 and the beginning of the commitment period under the new agreement is to be avoided.
The EU has already, on a unilateral basis and without prejudice to its position in international negotiations, determined that it should make an independent commitment to achieve at least a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990. It has also agreed that it is willing to commit to a reduction of 30% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 as its contribution to a global and comprehensive agreement for the period beyond 2012.
Ireland supports these commitments and is preparing for the deeper emission reductions which all developed countries must make in the period to 2020 and beyond. The Government has set a target of an annual average reduction of 3% in greenhouse gas emissions. Measures set out in the National Climate Change Strategy, and also in the Carbon Budget which I presented in association with Budget 2008, will contribute significantly, while further measures to achieve reductions across all sectors of the economy are being and will be developed by the various Ministers on the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security.
