Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Sinn Féin welcomes the Green Party's introduction of this Bill and the opportunity to discuss this crucial issue in the Dáil. I welcome the fact the Bill seeks to enshrine in legislation commitments to reduce emission outputs in the State to prevent an increase in average global temperatures. Little or no opportunity has been afforded to discuss this issue in the Dáil in recent years.

The Government's response to climate change has been wholly inadequate. Climate change policy should not be about doing as little as possible to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. It must be about showing leadership in global terms and having a commitment to deliver significant decreases in emission outputs. The Kyoto Protocol is merely a minimum requirement and that the State cannot meet its commitments is scandalous. We must start from the point of view of making a genuine commitment to playing a leading role in the fight against climate change. We should set serious targets for the reduction of emissions and demonstrate to the world that, where there is a commitment, such a change can be achieved.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, the Twenty-six Counties' greenhouse gas emissions were restricted to a rise of no more than 13% above their 1990 level. By 2003, greenhouse gas emissions here were already 25% above that level. Clearly, adequate measures have not been implemented to address the growth of emissions. The Government's failure to take the action necessary to curb greenhouse emissions will result, according to "preliminary projections", in the State facing an estimated fine of more than €100 million and possibly as much as €180 million. The State's taxpayers and not the big industrial polluters will end up carrying the resulting financial burden.

Responsible states should not resort solely to emissions trading. It should be remembered that national exchequers will benefit from any actions that result in a reduction in emissions. The targets contained in the Twenty-six Counties' national allocation plan on emissions are weak and inadequate, thus eliminating the economic inducement that is necessary in order for emissions trading to be an effective tool in reducing emission outputs.

Does the Minister accept that, at this stage, there is no prospect of the State meeting its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol? Can the Minister outline exactly how he intends to reduce Ireland's emissions to 13% above 1990 levels? Can he tell the House how the State will pay the fines it will now certainly face? Is it his intention that the State will buy its way out of compliance and not attempt to reduce output of emissions? Does he agree this is irresponsible, as it amounts to the State not playing its part in the global fight to prevent climate change?

Even a quick examination of Government policy, which has promoted private transport, promoted incineration as a method of waste disposal and emissions trading as a preferred method of complying with the Kyoto Protocol, shows it has little interest in promoting environmental sustainability. Investment in the environment and renewable resources will benefit our citizens today as well as ensure a better quality of life for future generations. The Government must invest in climate change prevention, waste management based on a zero waste policy and environmental protection.

The issue of climate change challenges many of the tenets of mainstream economics. The past century's economic growth has come at a large cost in terms of the destruction of the environment. Orthodox economic theory is undermined by the reality that all growth is not benign. Climate change and global warming is now a reality that affects the lives of a large proportion of the world's population. All governments have an obligation to implement policies to prevent change.

Attempts to halt or even slow the process of global warming demands a reappraisal of the supremacy of growth as the ultimate goal. The refusal of the United States of America and a number of other states to accept any measures that would curb growth lies at the root of their refusal to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.

We need real commitment to an environmentally sustainable future for Ireland, not the piecemeal approach currently adopted. We must investigate the best way to introduce energy taxes but, with this Government, there is always the fear that it will be the weakest and least well-off who will ultimately be penalised, not those creating the greatest amount of emissions. I look forward to the Minister's contribution to the debate and hope he will be able to update the House regarding the status of the climate change strategy and what actions the Government intends to take.

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