Steps to curb carbon dioxide emissions `inadequate'

Replacing the huge coalfired generating station at Moneypoint, on the Shannon estuary, with a less polluting gas-fired power plant would yield the largest single reduction in the State's carbon dioxide emissions, according to an unpublished study.

The study, commissioned by the Department of the Environment and the Department of Public Enterprise, suggests the imposition of carbon taxes would be another "least cost" option which would help Ireland to meet its obligations to curtail CO2 emissions.

The purpose of the study was to analyse policy measures to limit or reduce CO2 and their "greenhouse gas" emissions in order to comply with commitments made under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol agreed last December.

Carried out by Environmental Resources Management, an Oxford-based consultancy, in association with Byrne O Cleirigh and the Economic and Social Research Institute, the study concludes that existing measures to curb the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for causing climate change are inadequate.

Though the precise targets for Ireland have yet to be finalised in the context of burden-sharing arrangements between EU member states, it says that any equitable distribution would require additional measures to achieve "significant" limitations of greenhouse gas emissions.

The study estimates the State's emissions in 1995 at 59.4 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents, 4.3 per cent above the figure for 1990, and says they could rise by up to 24 per cent with economic growth over the next 10 years even after taking account of forestry as a "carbon sink".

It points out that the Republic's emissions of methane another greenhouse gas are "unusually high" relative to other OECD countries because of the significance of agriculture in the economy. These emissions are caused mainly by cattle, due to their ruminant digestive process. The study confirms that burning fossil fuels (coal, peat, oil and gas) for energy is the greatest source of CO2 emissions, at 95 per cent. Transport is the fastest growing contributor, rising by 27 per cent between 1990 and 1995, compared to 21 per cent for electricity generation. Though the imposition of a carbon tax would represent the "least cost" option to reduce emissions, the consultants concede that it would impose extra costs on certain sectors of the economy. However, they say these could be mitigated by using the revenue to reduce PRSI.

"If a price-based measure is not employed, the largest `single-hit' emission reductions can be achieved in the energy sector," the study says. They could be achieved by switching fuels for electricity generation from peat or coal to gas, which has a much lower carbon content.

"Replacing Moneypoint coalfired power station with a combined cycle gas-fired plant would yield the largest emission reduction and potentially could be achieved at a negative cost i.e. it would be a profitable investment at current fuel prices," the consultants say.

Phasing out the use of peat for power generation would also be a "no cost" though where this leaves the massive "Europeat 1" peat-fired plant planned for the Midlands is unclear. The study says some of these changes may come anyway, following electricity deregulation.

It suggests that industrial and household CO2 emissions could be cut through fuel switching and better energy efficiency, promoted by an expanded Irish Energy Centre. Dealing with transport, the consultants say "elements of both carrot and stick" would be required, such as providing more and cheaper public transport and making car use less convenient or more expensive by reducing the availability of parking and charging more for it.

Emissions from agriculture might be reduced by changing feed practices or developing "low methane" cattle in the longer term. But it says that cutting back on fertiliser use offers the greatest scope for reductions here.