Written answers

Thursday, 9 July 2009

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Environmental Policy

12:00 pm

Photo of Liz McManusLiz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 756: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding Ireland's Kyoto targets; if he will support and push for higher targets at EU level leading into the talks in Copenhagen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29608/09]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The EPA is responsible for emission projections. Its most recent analysis, which reflected the ESRI's then assessment of the changed economic situation, was published in March 2009. The updated figures indicated a Distance to Target for the Kyoto period 2008-2012 in the range of 1.3-1.8 million tonnes per annum, a reduction of around 3 million tonnes from the projections of Autumn 2008. In the current economic climate, an unusually high degree of uncertainty attaches to all projections. It is now clear that the economic contraction will be deeper than assumed in the March projections. It is, accordingly, possible that Ireland will now meet its Kyoto target for the non-trading sector without using carbon credits. It is important to emphasise that the effect of the recession on our emissions is a short-term one and it would be a serious mistake to ease off on our efforts to address the underlying trend. When economic growth resumes, the emphasis has to be on putting Ireland on course to achieving a sustainable, low carbon economy. All relevant Government Departments are working on the development of further measures to reduce Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions. This work is overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security. Ireland is committed under the EU climate and energy package agreed in December 2008 to achieve, by 2020, a 20% reduction on 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the sectors of the economy not covered by the EU emissions trading scheme. This 20% target is binding in EU law, as will any adjustment to it in the light of the outcome to the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen later this year. The objective of the ongoing international negotiations under the Framework Convention on Climate Change is to reach agreement on a comprehensive global response to climate change at the Copenhagen conference. Ireland fully supports the EU position set out in the conclusions adopted by the Council on 2 March 2009 and subsequently. It is of the utmost importance that a new agreement is reached in Copenhagen in order to avoid any gap in the response to climate change when the Kyoto Protocol expires at the end of 2012. A key element of an effective outcome at Copenhagen will be continued leadership by developed countries in tackling climate change and I believe that a new agreement must set binding post-2012 greenhouse gas emission limitation or reduction targets for developed countries.

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