Greens want 'climate-proofing' of major infrastructural projects

The Government should "proof against climate change" all projects under the National Development Plan (NDP), which is to be published this month, the Green Party has said.

The plan, the Government's multi-billion programme of infrastructural development for the next seven years, presented an opportunity to cut Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions and reduce global warming, said Green Party leader Trevor Sargent. "This Government's failure to tackle our greenhouse gas emissions now threatens our economy as well as the environment," he claimed.

The Government was being dishonest with the public about the severity of the climate change problem and about the failure of its current policies by trying to "buy our way out of climate change commitments".

Mr Sargent said that continuing to buy carbon credits rather than reduce emissions was not sustainable. Ireland's carbon emissions were likely to rise by 30 per cent by 2020, which would add an additional €250 million each year to the carbon trading bill.

Flooding which had occurred in Galway and Mayo showed the hardship which was being created by climate change. The failure to deal with climate change was a "matter of life and death".

A new post should be created in the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for ensuring that other departments dealt with climate change in their policies and projects.

Mr Sargent said that he would be appealing to the Government to "climate-proof" the NDP by implementing his party's policies.

The Green Party's proposals to "future-proof" the NDP focus on transport, energy, buildings, planning and research and innovation.

The party is proposing:

• a higher priority on public transport investment and the promotion of walking and cycling;

• new "smart" electricity meters to be introduced to every home which could switch off appliances not in use and allow people to sell surplus energy back to the national grid;

• a change in the National Spatial Strategy to focus development on a small number of towns outside Dublin;

• the implementation of green procurement guidelines on all NDP supply and work contracts and a climate change test to be included in environmental impact statements;

• an innovation fund of 5 per cent of the NDP to be set aside to support new low-carbon products and technologies;

• a requirement for all fuel oil suppliers to use a set percentage of biofuel.