Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. As the Deputy said, this debate highlights the key role that Ireland can play during its Presidency in advancing action at EU level to address the global challenge of climate change. The melting of polar ice caps is only one of a large number of impacts arising from climate change but it can have far-reaching consequences in the context of rising sea levels and shifting weather patterns. We all need to take action urgently if we are to get back on a pathway to meet the internationally agreed goal of keeping the global temperature increase below 2° Celsius.

The findings in the United Nations environment programme's latest emissions gap report are stark. Greenhouse gas emissions levels are approximately 14% above where they need to be in 2020. Instead of declining, greenhouse gases are increasing more rapidly than in previous projections. Even if the most ambitious level of pledges and commitments now on the table were implemented by all countries, we would still fall well short of where we need to be by 2020.

Ireland is determined to drive the climate agenda forward during our Presidency by progressing a number of key initiatives at EU level, including the finalisation of new legislation in relation to reducing CO2 emissions from cars and vans, and holding political discussions and reaching conclusions on a new EU climate adaptation strategy. The EU cannot address this issue alone, however, as it emits only approximately 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions and it needs to encourage and lead other parties both in the developed world and among developing nations to take early and effective action.

This shows clearly the importance of the negotiations taking place under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC. The latest round of those negotiations, held in Doha last November and December, was difficult but, ultimately, successful. The Doha outcome advances work towards the 2015 global agreement that will tie all 195 parties to the UNFCCC, both developed and developing countries, to a single legally binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, a number of parties joined the EU in a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, which is welcome. However, all of the second commitment period parties together account for only approximately 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, it is critical we turn our focus to making progress on delivering the new agreement and on increasing our mitigation ambition in the pre-2020 period to keep the 2° Celsius goal within reach.

Doha was about building on the 2011 Durban agreement. We acknowledge substantial work is required during 2013 and 2014, and in our role as EU President, Ireland will have a pivotal role in advancing these negotiations and resolving outstanding issues over the next six months. It is our intention, therefore, to build on firm decisions and timeframes agreed in Doha by facilitating further work and engagement on key elements which will be discussed at the inter-sessional meetings of the UNFCCC in Bonn in April and June. It is also envisaged that Ministers will discuss a number of important climate issues at the informal Council of Environment Ministers to be held in Dublin in April. In preparation for our leadership role, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government held discussions with most of his counterpart environment and climate Ministers across the EU and also held extensive bilateral meetings with key countries during the Doha COP. We will build on these engagements during our EU Presidency to progress the international climate agenda. I again thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Ireland intends to use its Presidency to lead in this area.

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