Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

Climate change is happening already. Even if we manage to reach our emission reduction targets and if temperature increases are limited, it will have a significant impact on Ireland. According to research carried out in universities and other institutes in Ireland, we will experience more extreme weather events, including floods and storms. For example, 100-year floods will become more frequent and there will be coastal erosion and less rain in summer.

Climate change will affect Ireland and not just developing countries. Specific groups will be particularly vulnerable, including the poor, the elderly, farmers, tourism employees, coastal dwellers, those living in river basins who are experiencing water shortages and those living in areas prone to flooding. There will be a great impact on the environment, including on species and habitats.

The impact of climate change on vulnerable people, including the poor and elderly, is highlighted in the draft summary report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, launched on 16 November. It states those affected will not just be those living in poor countries or regions especially affected by climate change, "Within other areas, even those with high incomes, some people can be particularly at risk (such as the poor, young children and the elderly) and also some areas and some activities." Furthermore, it states: "There is increasing evidence of greater vulnerability of specific groups such as the poor and elderly in not only developing but also developed countries."

The Minister, in his contribution, was speaking in global terms and in this regard it is obvious that international agreements and targets are integral to the mitigation process. However, climate change will have an impact on local communities in Ireland, including the aforementioned vulnerable groups. Sooner rather than later, we must prioritise measures at home to adapt to climate change such that communities will be protected as much as possible.

There have been a number of important studies in Ireland on the impact of climate change and an EPA report shows Ireland will experience significant climate change impacts, most of which are now unavoidable, with widespread negative effects for the environment.

We need to put in place measures today to adapt to climate change and we need to climate-proof our county development plans, prohibit urban sprawl, invest in measures that will protect communities from flooding, have early warning systems in place for extreme weather events and ensure water is available for human consumption, agriculture, irrigation and industry. Ireland's tourism industry will have to adapt to the impact of climate change if it is to survive. If farmers have problems obtaining water in Ireland and elsewhere, we must ask whether there will be future food shortages. This issue was raised by Deputy John Curran. We must find solutions to these problems now and prioritise research and development in this area. Much excellent work has already been done by Irish researchers on the impacts of climate change.

We must plan well ahead. We are now planning housing developments that will not be completed for decades to come. Many county councils will begin to review their county development plans next year and the new plans will be drawn up with reference to rezoned land that may not be built upon for many years, if not decades. We must now take into account the effects of climate change and carbon emissions in plans for future housing developments. Mitigation and adaptation are often treated as separate issues but the documentation of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that "there is high confidence that neither adaptation nor mitigation alone can avoid all climate change impacts; however, they can complement each other and together can significantly reduce the risks of climate change".

Irish planning legislation is not strong enough. It outlines that councils "may" have regard to flooding studies, the national climate change strategy and ministerial guidelines, but it is not mandatory. They can continue to rezone to allow urban sprawl, one-off houses, building on flood plains and the development of poor public transport links. If we allow this to continue in county development plans, all our climate change targets will just be cosmetic.

The Green Party will just be spouting hot air on climate change if the Government does not put in place, as a matter of emergency, proper public transport, thereby reducing significant emissions and unsustainable development. If it does not ensure local authorities are staffed with inspectors to ensure regulations on energy-efficient buildings are complied with, the regulations will not be worth the paper they are written on. We must decide on where we cannot build because of the impact of climate change. If we build in risk areas, we must invest in the necessary local infrastructure and services that will protect the communities in those areas in so far as this is possible. We must ensure we protect the specific vulnerable groups that need special protection, including the poor, older people, children, farmers and those living in high-risk areas, including coastal areas.

Deputy John Curran referred to carbon credits. It was reported in The Irish Times yesterday that €40 million will be required next year to purchase carbon credits. There are to be negotiations in Bali this year to set down even higher targets on the reduction of carbon emissions than those that already exist. Therefore, the cost of credits for Ireland will increase further unless we get our act together. Taxpayers will end up paying for carbon credits because the Government did not get its act together in the past ten years to provide public transport and prevent unsustainable development. If it had done so, we would not be paying as much next year and in the years thereafter.

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, is proposing to set up a climate change fund through the Green Party. He was interviewed on "Morning Ireland" yesterday and he stated he would give all his pay increases to the party. He believes this would represent a good use of the money and wants to raise awareness of climate change. Earlier this year, he announced a major public awareness campaign on climate change, to be conducted by his Department. If the Department is to have a campaign, why does the Green Party need to launch its own? This demonstrates that the Minister's proposal is just a publicity stunt. It is badly thought through considering how he responded to the different issues raised about it on Tuesday. It is an attempt by the Green Party — of all parties — to find ways around the legislation to prevent individuals donating over a certain sum to political parties. It is a disgrace.

A report in today's newspaper suggests the proposal not to accept the pay increases was never raised at Cabinet level. The Green Party Members could choose not to accept their increases. The money could remain in the Exchequer and could be used for the Government's climate change awareness campaign rather than that of the Green Party. They could do what was done by the Labour Party, Fine Gael and Democratic Left in 1994 when the first decision of the then Cabinet was to turn down proposed ministerial pay increases. Why are the Green Party Ministers not proposing this in Cabinet meetings if it is serious?

See this speech in context