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Statement by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government At Launch of Review of National Climate Change Strategy

02/04/07

The National Climate Change Strategy shows precisely how Ireland will meet its Kyoto Protocol commitments.

 It also shows how Ireland will, as a result, be better positioned to meet the challenge of more ambitious targets in the post-2012 period.

Specific and Detailed Strategies
The Strategy is detailed and specific. It is focused primarily on policies which are already in place or which are in the process of implementation. While the document looks forward, it is not merely aspirational and it’s not about commitments to take action at some unspecified point in the future. It contains no frills. It simply specifies the measures and quantifies the reductions in emissions.

80% Reductions from Domestic Measures
Domestic measures, actions in this country, will meet the lion’s share of Ireland’s Kyoto Protocol commitments,

The impression has been created, by some, that Ireland is just relying on buying carbon credits, that we will be buying our way out of our commitments. This view is false.  

Domestic measures will reduce emissions by almost 14 million tonnes – that’s 80% of the total reduction.   Using only domestic measures, we have already largely decoupled emissions from economic growth - our economy has grown by 150% since 1990 greenhouse gas emissions have increased by only 25%.    This gives us a good platform for the further action that’s needed.

Using Kyoto’s ‘Flexible Mechanisms’

Just 20% of our reduction will come from the use of the flexible mechanisms in the Kyoto Protocol.  There has been an extraordinary tendency, unique to commentary in this country, to denigrate the use of these mechanisms.  The ‘logic’ that informs this view is hard to fathom.

The flexible mechanisms are an integral part of the Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol recognises that a given emissions reduction is equally beneficial in terms of combating climate change irrespective of where on the planet it is achieved.

This flexibility in the Protocol allows developed countries to accept ambitious targets for cutting emissions while at the same time providing vital assistance to developing countries and countries in transition.  Their importance has been strongly endorsed by Kofi Annan, Sir Nicholas Stern and Yvo de Boer, the Head of the UN Climate Change Convention.

Using the ‘Flexible Mechanisms’ to buy credits must be part of the solution, but not the entire solution. Each country needs to find the most cost-effective balance between reducing its own emissions and supporting reductions elsewhere, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.
 

Whole of Government Approach
The Strategy recognises that this issue requires a whole-of-Government effort across the economy, from agriculture and forestry to energy to transport to waste management.

You’ll see the detail of this effort in the individual chapters of the document – and the Tables on page 16 give precise details of the emission reductions involved in the various measures.

The Strategy shows that taking actions to reduce emissions also means
making Ireland’s energy use more sustainable (Chapter 3)
putting in place the investment to bring about a modal shift in transport, ( Chapter 4)
creating new levels of energy efficiency in our buildings ( Chapter 5 )
harnessing the business sector’s extraordinary capacity for innovation, ( Chapter 6)
diversifying agriculture towards producing energy crops and expanding afforestation, (Chapter 7)
improving even further waste management systems & using waste as an energy source, (Chapter 8)
establishing Energy Efficiency targets for the entire Public Sector (Chapter 9)
funding research & public awareness programmes (Chapter 10)
putting in place a National Adaptation Strategy (Chapter 11), and
establishing, at the highest level, institutional arrangements to ensure that all public policies are coordinated in so far as they impact on climate change and that best international practice is built into Ireland’s Climate Change Programme. (Chapter 12).

The Strategy shows that Climate Change is central to Government policy across all sectors.  It draws together
the ambitious targets for renewable energy from the Government’s Energy White Paper,
 the initiatives from the Bioenergy Action Plan to enable the agriculture sector to contribute to the development of a sustainable supply of energy for heating our buildings,
the ambition for transport change in Transport 21, and
the Government’s intentions for the forthcoming Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Transport Action Plans.

It incorporates also the reductions that will be achieved by the Irish firms covered by the EU’s emissions trading scheme – some 3 million tonnes, which represents a major contribution to meeting Ireland’s targets. The final details of how the scheme will operate in Ireland during the Kyoto period remain to be settled with the Commission, but it is fair to say Commission has found Ireland’s application of the scheme to be proper and transparent – one of the few Member States of whom this could be said.

Public Awareness
The awareness of the public of climate change has never been greater. Media interest has never been more intense. However, awareness of climate change isn’t always accompanied by a full understanding of what we as individuals and members of our society can do to combat it.

I am therefore today announcing that the Government will put in place a major national climate change awareness campaign.  A budget of  €15 million over 5 years will provided.  We know from our experience of the Race Against Waste Campaign and from Power of One, that targeted information campaigns can bring about a real difference in behaviour. 

Phasing Out  Incandescent Light Bulbs
Encouraging more environmentally friendly behaviour has paid real dividends in the past – the plastic bags levy is the best example.  

I believe that low-efficiency light bulbs will disappear from the market over the next few years, whether by EU directive or through market forces.  It’s in all our interests to speed up the process, so the Government has agreed to place an environmental levy on low-efficiency bulbs.  I believe that this will give all of us all the extra encouragement we need to make the switch.

I will be consulting with stakeholders before I finalise the details, including the amount of the levy.

The Public Sector
And the public sector will play its part also.   There will be greatly increased energy efficiency in heating and lighting public buildings and in fueling public sector fleets.  We have set an ambitious target to reduce energy consumption in the public sector by 33%.   We will compliment this with a major new requirement for public sector bodies to measure their emissions, adopt specific targets and report progress in their annual reports.  

We are also introducing a carbon offsetting scheme for all ministerial and official air travel.   

Climate Change Commission
The Government has also decided to establish a Climate Change Commission.   We will be inviting a small group of eminent and expert people to monitor and assess Ireland’s progress in addressing climate change.  They will also help to increase awareness in all sectors of the opportunities and the challenges that we face.  The Commission will report annually to Government.

Looking beyond 2012
The Kyoto Protocol broke new ground in international negotiations. It was, however, only a first step. Deeper reductions in emissions will be required after 2012. The EU Heads of Government have set the agenda in this regard for the international community.
 
By agreeing to a minimum reduction in emissions of 20% by 2020, the EU is sending a signal that now is the time to take further action, to set even more ambitious targets and to look to the future. That is what we are doing here today.

The Strategy puts in place the framework that will develop measures to deliver the deeper cuts we will need in the future – a framework that includes the development of a strong and dynamic research capacity, particularly focused on new technologies.

The Government has approved a major enhancement of existing research capacity in the Environmental Protection Agency with an additional €7 million in funding under the Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation. This will complement the existing massive public investment, running into hundreds of millions of euro, which has already been committed under the National Development Plan to research in areas relevant to climate change, such as energy and agriculture.

Becoming a low-carbon economy presents opportunities as well as challenges.  The countries that will best respond will be those who approach the problem with creativity, innovation and flexibility.  These are the very characteristics that have driven Ireland’s economic success.

Ireland has the ability and the opportunity now to adapt quickly.  As an economy, we can gain competitive advantage from being to the fore in reducing emissions. It will require changes - in our behaviour, in our consumption and in our economy.  The Government will continue to provide the leadership, direction and resources to ensure that we can manage this transition in a way that enhances our economy and strengthens our society.

Thank you.

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