Pressure is mounting on the Government to produce a workable
plan to tackle greenhouse gas emissions following the latest warning from
experts that a major shift in attitudes and practices is needed to avoid
catastrophic climate change.
The warning from the UN came on the same day Energy Minister
Pat Rabbitte announced the abandonment of a controversial renewable energy
project that would have seen more than 1,000 wind turbines erected in the
midlands to export wind energy to Britain.
While the minister’s office stressed the decision to call
time on the project was due to foot-dragging by British government on the deal
and said it would not affect plans to increase wind energy usage within
Ireland, the end of the deal raised questions about the direction of renewable
energy policy here.
Mr Rabbitte will now face calls to publish the cost-benefit
analysis carried out on the export deal, to allow scrutiny of the figures by
opponents who claim wind energy is a false economy and does not significantly
reduce carbon emissions.
He has up to now said the analysis could not be made public
because of commercial sensitivity, but it is expected to be argued that this
excuse no longer applies.
The formal end of talks with Britain on the project, after a
week of high-profile diplomacy during President’s Michael D Higgins’ state
visit, is expected to be raised at the weekly Cabinet meeting tomorrow.
The Cabinet is also scheduled to consider the main points of
the long-awaited Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, which places
statutory obligations on the Government to meet emission reduction targets,
provide regular progress reports, and appoint an independent advisory body to
oversee strategy.
Campaign groups have urged the Government to get moving on
the legislation.
Eamonn Meehan, executive director of Trócaire, said: “The
indisputable threat of climate change has been established, so it is time for
the Irish Government to outline its plans to tackle this threat.”
An Taisce called for a strong legislative approach. “The
Government must introduce an annual carbon budget which has a path to near-zero
emissions by 2050,” it said.
Former president Mary Robinson, who heads a climate change
foundation, said the UN report was a “wake-up call”. “We must heed the science
and take urgent action that requires global cooperation,” said Ms Robinson.
“Every one of us has a responsibility to act.”
The report, from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, says global temperature change will exceed the critical 2C degree point
unless carbon emissions are slashed in the next 15 years, fall by 70% by 2050
and reach zero by 2099.
Climate change expert, John Sweeney of NUI Maynooth, said:
“What it’s saying is quite alarming. It’s saying that we have to decarbonise
our society much, much more quickly than perhaps we thought.”
Environment Minister Phil Hogan, who wants the main points
of the Climate Action Bill approved this week so that legislation can be drawn
up by the summer, welcomed the IPCC report as providing the scientific basis on
which to work towards mitigating climate change.
“Ireland remains engaged and committed, both domestically
and internationally, to advance this work,” said Mr Hogan.
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