Green Party Calls on Roche to favour clean production in New Emissions Trading Scheme

Press Release: Environment 10 February 2006

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Dún Laoghaire, Environment and Justice Press Releases

10 February 2006

Green Party Calls on Roche to favour clean production in New Emissions Trading Scheme

-As correspondence reveals that Justice Minister says competitive disadvantage for Ecocem ‘can hardly be right’

The Green Party has called on the Minister for the Environment to make significant changes in the next phase of Ireland’s Emissions Trading Scheme to favour green production. The Emissions Trading Scheme was set up to assist in Ireland in meeting its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to limit climate change emissions.

On the 21st January last delegations from Ecocem a green cement manufacturer and from other Irish Cement manufacturers appeared before the Dáil Committee on the Environment. It was

Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD stated:
“The Government must make changes in the next phase of the Emissions Trading Scheme. Otherwise it will put green producers at a disadvantage.

We now know that the Minister for Justice has raised concerns at the lack of a level playing field in this area. It is time for the Minister for the Environment to make changes in the Scheme so that companies that contribute to reducing climate change emissions are encouraged from entering the marketplace. Green building solutions deserve support from Government.

“Green Cement such as that produced by the company Ecocem produces only one twentieth of the emissions of traditional cement production and it is now time that this is reflected in a new Trading Scheme.”

Click here to view correspondence from Minister for Justice to Minister for the Environment

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com