Press Release: Environment 29 November 2006

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Dún Laoghaire, Environment, Justice and Latest Press Releases

29 November 2006

Tax-payers to fork out €100m on carbon emission charges

-Cuffe blames Govt for failing to address climate change

The Green Party says that Irish tax-payers are set to pay at least €100 million for failing to stay within limits agreed under the Kyoto Agreement on climate change. Today, the European Commission approved Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions plan, but reduced the emissions limit for Ireland.  Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciáran Cuffe TD called on the Government to take additional steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rather than buying its way out of trouble.

Deputy Cuffe said: "Under Kyoto we have three main options for dealing with climate change: We can reduce emissions in Ireland; we can buy carbon credits on the international markets, or we can fund carbon reduction projects in developing countries.
"Minister Roche is proposing that we fund projects in developing countries such as Kazakhstan. However this will cost the tax-payer dearly and we would be better off reducing emissions here in Ireland. This 'Borat Buyout' is a cop-out that puts reducing our own emissions on the long finger. Instead we should be concentrating on reducing climate change emissions here in Ireland through investing in renewable energy, public transport and higher building standards.

"Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said today that the use of such mechanisms should be supplementary to domestic action to address emissions. The Green Party is not convinced that Dick Roche is taking sufficient action at home in Ireland to reduce emissions. Today's announcement by the European Commission that it is reducing the emissions limits in Ireland's plan will make it more difficult to meet our Kyoto targets.
"The National Climate Change Strategy which was published in 2000 had many good ideas in it. Unfortunately, these have been ignored by Government over the past six years. Ireland has in effect had no effective plan to reduce our carbon emissions during that period and we are now in a more difficult position now than we were back in 2000.
"The Climate Change Strategy is currently being reviewed and the Minister is considering submissions from several hundred interested parties who have suggested ways in which Ireland can reduce its emissions. To opt for this buy-out prior to the review process being completed makes a mockery of the Minister's interest in public participation," concluded Deputy Cuffe.

Earlier in the week Minister Roche brought a proposal to the Dáil to place an initial €5 million in projects funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The Government had originally sought to push this new plan through the Dáil without debate. However Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe yesterday secured a debate in the Dáil on this issue, which is due to take place tomorrow November 30th.