Press Release: Environment 2 April 2007

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Dún Laoghaire, Environment, Justice and Latest Press Releases

New Climate Change Strategy 'far too little too late'

"How can we have confidence that the Government will implement this when they didn't implement much of the previous strategy from seven years ago?"

Speaking following the launch, Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said: "This is Ireland's second Climate Change Strategy. How can we have confidence that the Government will implement this when they didn't implement much of the previous strategy from seven years ago? Ultimately it boils down to trust. The Green Party does not believe that we can trust this Government on climate change. The setting up of a Climate Change Commission is simply an indication of the Government's lack of vision on the issue, as it indicates that insufficient progress has been made.

"This Government failed in its promise to introduce a carbon levy. By reneging on this key commitment, it is subsidising the industry dinosaurs that feed on carbon, instead of creating new jobs in ocean, wind solar and other renewable energy production. The Minister for the Environment has used fuzzy maths to suggest that buying carbon credits is only a small part the Government's approach to tackling climate change. In reality the purchase of carbon credits, along with the Emissions Trading Scheme is providing the bulk of the reductions to meet our Kyoto Targets.

"Most of the measures proposed in the Strategy, such as improvements to the Building Regulation will not be put in place till next year or the year after. The time for action should be now. Postponing action will make it even more difficult to meet more ambitious targets in future years; we are simply storing up problems for the future.

"The Strategy highlights just how lightly the Government is taking the issue of climate change in Ireland. They have failed to grasp that we cannot simply buy our way out of the problem. The Minister has designated €270 million to purchase carbon credits abroad and trots out the argument that a tonne of carbon credits purchased in India fulfils our obligations under the Kyoto protocol.

"This attitude fails to address core problems in reducing our emissions, a fact borne out by this report. It is a short-sighted, short term 'sticking plaster' solution to a grave problem. Michael McDowell's admission at this afternoon's launch that climate change was only a 'fairly significant global issue' shows his own tenuous grasp of the issue."

The Green Party has called for a range of measures that will tackle the problem at source including:

-Reviewing the Building Regulations from 1st January 2008 to increase energy standards by 40% and produce new buildings that are better insulated and less expensive to heat

-Fast-tracking clean, efficient transport solutions such as new Luas lines and other public transport measures.

-Supporting renewable energy by implementing more measures to promote wind turbines, bio-mass and other energy projects can reduce carbon emissions.

-Providing clear leadership on planning. Tackling the huge increase in long-distance car commuting requires the provision of jobs and homes in the same location.