Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I will come to the home patch but I want to refer to world health matters first, including malaria which will spread as a result of global warming. I was discussing the matter with a family who were in Africa during the summer and I unfortunately had to read up on malaria, which is back big time in Africa. One must recall that we had malaria in southern Europe up to 50 years ago. I am not saying it is heading our way but it is certainly an issue to be considered. Such issues should prompt us to reflect that the biggest problem facing humanity today is global warming and climate change. In simple terms, it encompasses and exacerbates all the main problems confronting us.

Closer to home we have not escaped the effects and will not do so in the years ahead either. There is clear evidence of this from the flooding that has occurred in Cork city centre and in Dublin. There is incontrovertible evidence that flooding will become worse. We already have unnatural weather patterns and new animal diseases as a result. I had never heard about bluetongue until a few months ago, yet one can take it as almost certain that it will continue to spread because midges, which carry the disease, do not recognise national boundaries. There is little we can do about bluetongue apart from vaccinating animals as a precautionary measure. We have witnessed problems such as coastal erosion and flooding in low-lying areas. Last summer we saw the forest fires in Greece, which can be traced as a consequence of global warming. We have many forest areas here also.

Some people take an apocalyptic view of these events and maybe they should, but I prefer to be guided by scientific evidence. It is quite clear that global warming is already well under way and is likely to accelerate. Recently, I was fortunate to hear Dr. Martin Manning deliver a lecture on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency in Dublin. He is one of the authors of the latest report by the UN intergovernmental panel on climate change. It is scary stuff and all the scientific evidence clearly points to obvious conclusions. The report was completed in Valencia by 150 experts who drew on international resources and expertise. It presented unequivocal evidence on the effects of global warming on the world's climate system. If anyone doubts this they should look at the scientific facts, which I find convincing.

The first conclusion from Valencia is that in the 21st century the earth's climate will be different from anything experienced during human civilization. Second, this is different from past natural changes in climate because it will affect humans and we are causing it. Third, reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere can limit the magnitude of the change. That is as far as they would go, although a number of scary comments were made, including that scientists could not keep up with the pace of change and, therefore, could not predict fully the consequences. It was stated at the meeting that we had an opportunity to manage the avoidable and avoid the unmanageable. That is the challenge that confronts us.

Ireland has a role to play. I will not make political statements but our record since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol is deplorable. It has been a scandal but that is in the past. This debate is intended to achieve a common approach to a problem that has worsened since 1990, as the State has missed all the Kyoto Protocol targets. A 13% increase on the then 54 million tonnes of carbon emissions produced globally was projected but it is now more than 70 million tonnes. The targets internationally must be much lower than the 1990 baseline of 54 million tonnes. A reduction of 60% in this baseline has been mentioned, which highlights the magnitude of the task facing us.

A complete change in attitude is needed. Above all, significant leadership is required for what should be a national priority. That is happening in other countries. I was particularly impressed by a Westminster committee report on the draft climate change Bill in the United Kingdom. The UK Government is not only setting targets, it is also underpinning them in legislation. I compliment those who introduced a Bill in the Seanad a few months ago to open the debate. We must establish targets we can reach and underpin them with enforceable, binding legislation. The Westminster committee made 77 recommendations on the draft Bill and it would be well worth our while to consider them. I do not say they should be slavishly followed but there is an opportunity where we will not have to reinvent the wheel. Advantage could be taken of the committee's research. Its recommendations should at least be examined and considered to ascertain their appropriateness to Ireland.

Deputy O'Rourke often adopts a basic common sense approach to debates such as this. She referred to the purchase of carbon credits, a let-out in some ways. When the State had loads of money, it was an easy let-out but it should not be. The Government should not rely on the purchase of carbon credits — partly because money is running out — and flexible mechanisms to achieve our targets. A political action plan, which should be underpinned with legislation, is a national priority. The UK recommendations highlight that the plan must be led by the Prime Minister or, in our case, the Taoiseach. The debate concerns many Departments, including the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Transport and Finance. That the Taoiseach is merely chairman of a Cabinet committee on this issue is not sufficient. He should have responsibility under legislation, similar to the recommendation of the Westminster committee.

Major public awareness and total political commitment underpinned by legislation will result in people supporting the political action necessary to do what should have been done long ago. However, it is not too late. Let us start now.

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