Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Bacik and the Labour Party for introducing this Bill to the House. Every one of us has a part to play in reducing emissions, for example through identifying and purchasing products that have a lower carbon footprint or choosing to implement changes to our everyday habits. Every effort we make as individuals is worthwhile, and we should remain committed to these measures. This Bill has a role to play in this overall effort by giving us the opportunity every day to consider the products we are purchasing or the services we are acquiring, and being able to incorporate the well-being of our planet into such decisions.

A number of companies have taken it upon themselves to include carbon footprint labelling on their products, allowing customers to make an informed decision on the environmental impact of their purchases. This is a welcome initiative and, therefore, we will be supporting this Bill. There are aspects of the overall Bill that we must be aware of but they have nothing to do with its intentions, which are important and welcome. We cannot allow the focus of responsibility to be taken away from the key emitters in this world, or the measures that are pursued by governments that run contrary to the campaign to reduce emissions.

I will deal with the first matter at the outset. At the recent COP26, we were reminded that the aim to reduce emissions to the extent needed is doomed to failure unless the key emitters in this world are forced by governments across the world to change their ways in a manner that is meaningful. Fine words, positive tones and aspirations are not enough to ward off the calamity of climate change. Huge efforts were put into coming to a consensus on how the globe will collectively tackle climate change but those efforts were made all the more difficult by the fact that hundreds of fossil fuel lobbyists were also at that event. These are the people who should not be allowed to lobby for preferential treatment. Instead, those industries which make billions of euro out of pumping emissions into the atmosphere should be called out for what they are and treated accordingly - as the main source of emissions on this planet. The focus must primarily be on them to change their ways and contribute significantly to the global effort. That is why we must take care to ensure that when talking about Bills that focus on the individual responsibility of us all, we do not take the focus off the large emitters.

Ordinary households face challenges of their own. Funding for county councils to ensure the upkeep of often draughty houses is inadequate, with people waiting years for attention. Unsuitable living conditions have been reported in a large number of local authority houses. We cannot allow people living in such conditions to be the ones who lift the burden of soaring fuel prices while subsidies are given to industries that are the main global contributors to climate change, yet they are being targeted nonetheless.

This is a point that can be extended to the world’s poorest people, those living in countries where climate change is already leading to forced emigration, natural disasters and total upheaval. Oxfam’s Confronting Carbon Inequality report highlights the fact that the richest 1% of the world’s population are responsible for more than twice as much carbon pollution as the 3.1 billion people who make up the poorest half of the world. The report goes on to outline how “our current economic model has been an enabler of catastrophic climate change and equally catastrophic inequality”. Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former Secretary General of the United Nations, said that “to tackle climate change we must fight for social and economic justice for everyone.” We must heed these words and show compassion to those suffering from poverty but also from the effects of climate change. Targeting those industries and the most wasteful must be prioritised. They have the resources that can effect meaningful change.

I want to comment on some counterintuitive measures that are being adopted here when it comes to actions that are being taken to tackle the emission of CO2. We have seen a situation arise in which shiploads of horticultural peat are being imported into this country from Latvia, Estonia and elsewhere because a decision has been taken to restrict the harvesting of horticultural peat. It is something I have raised here and at the agriculture committee on a regular basis, and is something I will continue to call out. When is the Government going to examine the carbon footprint involved in the introduction of this peat into Ireland, when we could harvest a comparatively small and limited amount without the need for the environmental impact of importing it from 3,000 miles away?

This is a measure that runs counter to the purpose for which the ban on horticultural peat harvesting was said to have been imposed. Would the Government like to account for the carbon footprint involved in these imports as opposed to harvesting this small amount of peat here? It makes no environmental or economic sense, damages businesses and yet is being presided over through a number of Departments. There is a report sitting on the desk of the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, which is reported to state precisely the nonsensical nature of what we have been seeing in recent months. Common sense needs to prevail, both here and in our overall efforts to tackle emissions and climate change.

We will support this Bill. Everyone needs to be informed and to use that knowledge to act responsibly, but it is only right that we also point out that in advocating personal responsibility, we do not allow the people who are responsible for the lion's share of emissions to go unmentioned.

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